


365 Days (Oikawa x Reader)

by Rainbend



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Best Friends, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, High School, Humor, Reader-Insert, Romance, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 57,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22212268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbend/pseuds/Rainbend
Summary: ***ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE***"I'm going to confess to Tooru-kun before graduation!"For as long as (Full Name) remembers, she has been in love with Oikawa Tooru. At first, she is content with just being his best friend, alongside with Iwaizumi Hajime, as long as she gets to be by his side forever. Yet, as time passes, the urge to be more than just friends grows within her to the point she couldn't take it anymore and decides it's time to take actions.With her final year in high school, (Name) is determined to confess her feelings to Oikawa before graduation. However, with volleyball being Oikawa's main priority and the tons of love confessions he gets every day, it is going to be a tough battle.Even so, (Name) is not going to give up because it is now or never.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Reader
Comments: 34
Kudos: 209





	1. New Year, New Goal

**Prologue - New Year, New Goal**

**April**

The sky was cloudless with the moon glowing brightly and the stars twinkling like little diamonds dotted across the wide expanse of space. The streets were quiet except for the occasional car passing by. Night had finally fallen in Miyagi as daytime grew longer with winter slowly giving way to spring. 

With every season changing came something new and in your case, it was the start of a new school year. Specifically, it was the start of your final school year at Aobajohsai High. You were brimming with excitement for what the year had in store, especially with a specific goal in mind that you were determined to accomplish this time around. 

Humming to the made-up tune in your mind, you stacked your books neatly before placing them in your schoolbag along with your pencil case and other necessities you might need for the first day of school tomorrow. 

After checking through the contents inside your bag to make sure everything was in place, you zipped it up with a satisfied smile. Other than your school uniform which still had yet to be ironed, you were ready for school tomorrow. 

_‘I wonder if Tooru and Hajime are getting their things ready for the first day of school tomorrow?”_ You wondered absentmindedly, walking over to the closest to get your uniform out. 

_‘I won’t be surprised if Hajime is already asleep at this timing, knowing how much he needs his beauty sleep.’_ Your thoughts continued to wander around your best friends, half focused on ironing your school uniform. _‘Tooru is probably too excited to sleep since there’s morning practise tomorrow.’_

You smiled fondly as you recalled Oikawa’s brown eyes sparkling with eagerness as it always does whenever he talked about volleyball. You remembered listening with avid attention as the brown-haired male went on and on about the things he was going to do the first thing at practice tomorrow while Iwaizumi barely paid any attention, his mind thinking about what was for dinner. 

Yesterday was the last day either of you could hang out freely with each other before school and volleyball got in the way and on top of that, university applications and entrance exams were something all three of you had to start thinking about considering it was your final school year. 

You pushed that thought to the back of your mind, deciding it was still too early to start worrying about it. You would cross that bridge and get to it when the time has arrived for you to do so. 

For now, you are going to concentrate on enjoying and creating everlasting memories of your third year at Aobajohsai with your best friends – Oikawa Tooru and Iwaizumi Hajime. 

Just as you finished hanging up the now neatly pressed school uniform, the notification on your handphone went off – indicating that you had an unread message. Walking towards your bed where your phone was, you picked it up to check who it was from. 

You let out a light chuckle upon seeing who it was without having even to check the sender. One look at the emoji tacked to the end of the sentence was all it needed to you it was none other than Oikawa who had sent a message inside the chat group with you and Iwaizumi. 

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:05 p.m.** _

_**Tooru Sent:** _

_Iwa-chan! (N/n)-chan!_

_Make sure you don’t stay up too late tonight!_

_We have morning practice tomorrow! ( >^ω^<)_

You shook your head with a smile on your face and typed out your reply, finding the whole ordeal endearing. 

_**To: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:07 p.m.** _

_**(Name) Sent:** _

_Yes, Captain!_

_I was getting ready for bed soon anyway!_

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:05 p.m.** _

_**Tooru Sent:** _

_Good!_

_As our beautiful Seijoh manager, you need your beauty sleep (n/n)-chan!_

You could feel your cheeks heating up at Oikawa calling you beautiful and without having to even look in a mirror, you knew your face resembled a tomato now. Butterflies were fluttering in your stomach as you typed out a reply with shaky hands. 

Before sending, you double-checked your message to make sure you sounded unaffected by your best friend’s words. Once you were satisfied, you pressed “send” and waited anxiously for Oikawa’s reply. 

_**To: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:12 p.m.** _

_**(Name) Sent:** _

_Don’t say that I’m beautiful when we both know it’s not the truth._

_You should save that for your future girlfriend instead, Tooru!_

_But thanks for the reminder of ensuring I’ve plenty of sleep!_

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:15 p.m.** _

_**Tooru Sent:** _

_BUT (N/N)-CHAN, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!_

_IWA-CHAN! TELL (N/N)-CHAN THAT SHE’S BEAUTIFUL!_

_IWA-CHAN! I KNOW YOU’RE AWAKE!_

Before you could type out another message to convince your brown-haired best friend that compared to his trope of fangirls, you were at the bottom of the list in terms of looks when Iwaizumi who had been radio silence all this while finally answered to the group chat. 

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:20 p.m.** _

_**Hajime Sent:** _

_SHUT UP SHITTYKAWA! STOP SPAMMING! IT’S LATE!!_

_UNLIKE YOU, SOME PEOPLE DO NEED THEIR SLEEP!_

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:21 p.m.** _

_**Tooru Sent:** _

_Mean! You’re so mean, Iwa-chan!_

_At this rate, you’re not gonna get a girlfriend if you’re so rude all the time!_

_**From: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:23 p.m.** _

_**Hajime Sent:** _

_I’ll not hesitate to come over and murder you in your sleep, Trashykawa!_

You couldn’t help the burst of laughter escaping your lips as your phone kept vibrating in your hand due to Oikawa and Iwaizumi flooding the group chat with messages with their usual insults thrown at each other whenever they bickered. 

In this friendship, you were the mediator between both your best friends whenever they fought with each other which truth be told, it was 99% of the time. How you had managed to survive this far since childhood was beyond you. 

The fighting went on for another five minutes and you finally had enough. It was amusing at first, but it soon became annoying when you realized they were not going to stop anytime soon. 

It was approaching 11 pm and you were tired, the day finally catching up to you. Tomorrow was going to be a long day at school since you had to wake up before sunrise for morning practice and afterwards, meeting the coaches to discuss the try-outs for the new first years who might be interested to join the club. 

So, with your patience running thin, you furiously typed in all caps to get your irritation across to the two idiots that you called your best friends. 

_**To: The Trio of Idiots** _

_**10:30 p.m.** _

_**(Name) Sent:** _

_BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!_

_IT’S ALMOST COMING TO 11 PM AND I’M TIRED!_

_SO STOP FIGHTING LIKE KIDS AND GO TO SLEEP SOON!_

After your messages had been sent, you didn’t bother to wait for their replies as you had better things to do such as getting ready for bed. So, you simply off your phone and threw it onto your bed before heading towards the bathroom. 

It wasn’t until you had changed into your pyjamas and settled down in your bed with the comforter pulled up to your chin then did you checked your messages again. You couldn’t help rolling your eyes at how Oikawa pushed the blame to Iwaizumi for making his _(n/n)-chan_ (you ignored the way how your heart fluttered when he called you his) angry then apologized. 

At least, Iwaizumi was wise enough to simply just apologized instead of starting another round of argument and incurring your wrath again. 

You didn’t answer to their messages in the group chat when you noticed that they had both privately messaged you as well. So, you replied to that instead. 

You chose to read Iwaizumi’s message first, knowing that whatever he sent was the least likely to provoke you, unlike a certain brunette. 

_**From: Hajime** _

_**11:15 p.m.** _

_Sorry about earlier on._

_Anyway, I don’t usually agree with that idiot, but you are beautiful._

_Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Also, don’t you dare tell Oikawa that I agree with him or he’ll never let me live it down._

Fondness glimmered in your (e/c) eyes as a light blush dusted your cheeks at Iwaizumi’s words, feeling secretly happy. You didn’t bother to wish him good night since he was most likely asleep already and wouldn’t check his phone until tomorrow morning. 

So, you opted for a simple “thanks”. 

After that, you decided to check the remaining unread message from Oikawa still sitting in your inbox. Taking a deep breath to steel yourself against the unknown, you tapped open your conversation with Oikawa. 

_**From: Tooru** _

_**11:00 p.m.** _

_(Name)-chan!! I’m sorry! Please don’t be angry at me!_

_If anything, it’s Iwa-chan’s fault!_

You couldn’t help the tired sigh that escaped your lips, feeling an incoming headache no thanks to a certain brunette. Rubbing your forehead with one hand, you typed out a reply with the other. 

_**To: Tooru** _

_**11.05 p.m.** _

_Tooru, stop pushing the blame onto Hajime every single time._

_No wonder he’s always so angry at you all time._

Not even a minute had passed when your phone vibrated, indicating Oikawa had answered to your text. 

_**From: Tooru** _

_**11:05 p.m.** _

_(N/n)-chan! Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?!_

“Why do I even bother myself with this idiot?” You muttered to yourself. Why were you friends with Oikawa of all people, let alone like him, was beyond your understanding. 

“Why can’t Hajime be the one I end up liking instead of this trash?” You continued and typed up an answer while your brain conjured up an image of you and the dark-haired male being more than just friends instead of Oikawa like it usually does. 

Although, the moment that mental image was formed in your mind, you frowned with distaste. It was not that you didn’t find Iwaizumi attractive or not which he totally was and could appreciate his looks from a female’s perspective. 

It was just that you had always seen him as an older protective brother of yours and that was it, nothing more or less. Maybe it was because from a young age of ten, even before you truly comprehend what love was, your heart had already fallen for Oikawa. 

Whatever the reason might be, you were still unsure till this day and you would probably never figure it out even when you were dead. 

_**To: Tooru** _

_**11.08 p.m.** _

_Just go to sleep, Tooru._

_Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day and you need your beauty._

_We can’t have our volleyball captain falling asleep on his feet during practice tomorrow! Imagine what the underclassmen will say!_

_**From: Tooru** _

_**11:10 p.m.** _

_*gasp* You’re right, (n/n)-chan!_

_It’ll damage my image as the cool senpai! I can’t let that happen!_

Chuckling at the mental image of the horrified expression on the brunette, you texted back. 

_**To: Tooru** _

_**11.12 p.m.** _

_Glad you realize that._

_Now, go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow at morning practice._

_Night Tooru._

You let out a yawn, not realizing how late it had gotten. You decided you would just reply to Oikawa’s text in the morning. He wouldn’t die if you didn’t answer straight away, although he would give you hell for it tomorrow but it wasn’t like you weren’t already used to it. 

However, just when you were about to turn in for the night, the familiar ringtone that you had specifically for Oikawa went off in the quietness of your bedroom. With an umpteenth tired sigh of the night, you answered the call – wondering what your best friend could possibly want from you at 11.20 pm at night. 

“Do you realize how late it is already, Shittykawa?” You grumbled into your phone, not caring about whether Oikawa’s feelings got hurt or not with that insulting nickname.

You don’t always address the brown-haired male by those nicknames created by Iwaizumi because it was his job, not yours but you wouldn’t hesitate to call Oikawa by those names if he gave you the reason to do so like now for example. 

_“(Name)-chan! You’re becoming like Iwa-chan!”_ Your best friend whinnied in that high pitch tone of his whenever you or Iwaizumi (most of the time, Iwaizumi) called him by those names. _“Iwa-chan is tainting my innocent and precious (n/n)-chan!”_

“Oikawa,” You growled his last name which you don’t always call him by unless you were angry or upset at him. “I’ll give you ten seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t come over to your house now and set your hair on fire.”

You could hear Oikawa swallowing on the other end of the line, knowing that he was starting to get on your nerves. Ignoring the fear that threatened him to run for the hills, Oikawa said, _“I’m sorry! Please don’t kill me! I just wanted to tell you that I really meant my words in the group text just now! (Name)-chan’s the most beautiful person I’ve seen!”_

(E/C) eyes widened as your heart literally stopped for a second at what the brown-haired male had just said before beating at a hundred miles per hour. 

Oikawa went on, oblivious to the aftereffects of his words on you. 

_“I mean, no one else can beat me because Oikawa Tooru’s the most beautiful person on this planet but you come in close to second! That’s better than Iwa-chan who doesn’t even come close to third! Ah, but don’t tell him I say that!”_

The rest of his words doesn’t register in your ear as the phrase, “most beautiful person I’ve seen” kept repeating in an endless loop in your head and refusing to focus on anything else. 

It wasn’t until you heard your friend repeatedly calling out your name then did you snapped out of it. 

_“(N/n)-chan, are you there? Hello? Earth to (n/n)-chan! (NAME)-CHAN!!”_

“W-What??” You stuttered, blinking your eyes as you tried to get a sense of what was going on with your tired-muddled brain. 

You could hear the concern that was usually reserved only just for you and on rare occasion, Iwaizumi too, in his voice as he asked, “Is something wrong? I was calling you a few times but you didn’t respond.”

You waved off Oikawa’s worries when you remembered he couldn’t see you through the phone. Instead, you spoke in a reassuring tone. “I’m alright, Tooru. Sorry, I spaced out for a moment. It’s late and my tired brain isn’t functioning as it should be.”

_“Oh, okay! For a moment I thought something’s wrong but if (n/n)-chan says she’s fine then I’ll believe you!”_ Your best friend answered, returning to his usual cheery demeanour while you let out a sigh of relief, glad that he just accepted your explanation and not probe further unlike a certain somebody else you also happened to call your best friend. 

Oikawa was well-known for being very perspective, especially during volleyball matches but you were counting your lucky stars that he, too, was tired to notice something was off about you. 

_“Well, I guess I’ll end the call here.”_ Oikawa chirped, causing a small smile to bloom on your face. _“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, (n/n)-chan! Sweet dreams and may the aliens watch over you!”_

There was fondness for the brown-haired boy in your voice as you bid him good night as well. “Sweet dreams to you too, Tooru.”

With one last good night from your best friend, you ended the call and charged your phone before settling down for the night finally without any more disturbance. The last thing on your mind before you drifted off to dreamland was that maybe you would finally be able to confess to your best friend, Oikawa Tooru, finally. 

* * *

Your entire being was buzzing with anticipation and excitement as you stood in front of your floor-length mirror with the corners of your lips curled into a huge grin. You were fully dressed in the female uniform of Aobajohsai with your school bag on the floor next to your feet. 

(E/C) eyes glowed with determination as you took in a deep breath and declared with all the confidence you could muster towards your reflection in the mirror. 

“No matter what happens, I’m definitely going to confess to Oikawa Tooru before graduation!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey! Soooo, I'm finally back from hiatus and have decided to start on another Haikyuu! reader-insert fanfic! I recently got back into the fandom again and with Season 4 just being newly released, now is a good time to start!
> 
> My second Haikyuu fanfic will be dedicated to my second favourite volleyball boy - the Trash King of Aobajohsai, Oikawa Tooru! I'm really excited to bring this character to life and have my own take on it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I can't wait to start on the next chapter soon! We'll be in for a ride and I really wish that you, my dear readers, will be able to join me for the next few months! 
> 
> As always, happy reading!


	2. Unexpected Support

**Chapter 1 - Unexpected Support**

**April** ****

"(N/N)-chan! You're here early!"

You glanced up from your phone and towards the direction of where you heard a familiar voice calling your name. (E/C) eyes lit up with delight as the corners of your lips quirked up into a bright grin at the sight of your best friends, Iwaizumi and Oikawa, heading in your direction.

The former had his hands stuffed into his school pants where the bottom of his shirt hitched up slightly around the sides due to it being untucked while his tie hung loosely around his neck. Iwaizumi's face held an irked expression as he hissed at the male next to him to quieten down since it was still dark out and some people were still asleep.

Oikawa dressed neatly in the similar Aobajohsai's male uniform unlike Iwaizumu who was the exact opposite, stuck his tongue out childishly at his black-haired friend and managed to dodge the punch aimed for him for once.

You couldn't help the giggle when Iwaizumi growled out a "Shittykawa!", his go-to nickname for Oikawa whenever said person got on his nerves.

The smile on your face widened as both of them finally neared the location where the three of you would always meet up before heading to school together. Unlike Oikawa and Iwaizumi who lived next door to each other, you lived a street away from them.

Since neither of you wanted to break this tradition since junior high, this was the arrangement – Oikawa and Iwaizumi would leave their houses together and meet you at the agreed meeting spot – all three of you settled on.

"Tooru! Hajime! Morning!" You greeted the two males. "I hope both of you slept well last night."

Oikawa, the more outgoing one between the two of them, threw an arm around your shoulders and pulled you in until you were pressed up against his side.

Immediately, you froze up at the sudden proximity with the brunette. Butterflies erupted in your stomach as your heart began to race a mile an hour while your mind zeroed in on the warmth invading your right side, all coherent thoughts flying out of the window.

Oikawa, who was oblivious to your inner dilemma, squeezed your shoulders gently and tilted his head downwards so that he was on eye level with you as he was speaking to you.

"I slept like a baby, (n/n)-chan!" There was a wide grin on his face, brown eyes sparkling with pride as he went on. "Thanks to that, I'm ready to play volleyball!"

"T-That's good, T-Tooru." You managed to choke out, ignoring the heat on your cheeks as your heart stuttered at the sight of those deep chocolate orbs staring into your own (e/c) ones.

The corners of his eyes crinkled as Oikawa let out a bright laugh which caused your breath to hitch and your eyes to become impossibly wider. Warmth rushed through your veins at the thought that you were the cause of that laughter, knowing how rare it was for Oikawa's laughter or smile to have no motive behind them.

Your face softened as you watched with fondness at the way how your best friend's tall frame hunched in on itself, his body shaking from laughter as his eyes sparkled with pure happiness.

Your heart was still beating faster than usual, but it was for a completely different reason now. Being able to see this side of Oikawa reserved only for his family and close friends was a privilege and you hoped to never lose that.

"If you two love birds are done, can we get going or else we're gonna be late for practice." Iwaizumi, who had been silent throughout your exchange with Oikawa, spoke up in a deadpan tone.

Upon hearing the insinuation in Iwaizumi's words of whom you had completely forgotten about, your face burst into different shades of red in varying degrees of embarrassment and anger directed at your other best friend.

Without thinking twice, you pushed Oikawa away, missing the slight widening of those brown orbs, and turned onto Iwaizumi who gave a knowing smirk which only further to agitate you.

"Hajime! I'll not hesitate to strangle you to death right here, right now!" You threatened despite knowing it was fruitless, especially so against someone who actually does carry out the threats he meant.

"Go ahead. That's if you can reach my neck with that short ass height of yours." Iwaizumi replied in a smug tone, the smirk on his face grew even wider.

You let out a growl but didn't retaliate to his teasing, knowing that it would only make you looked like a fool. Instead, you turned on your heels towards Oikawa who was watching all with an amused smile and grabbed his right hand before stalking off in the direction of Aobajohsai, pulling the brunette along with you.

"Let's go, Tooru." You grunted, not caring that you were ditching your other friend. "Hajime can make the lonely trek to school himself for all I care."

Oikawa simply let out a chuckle as he shifted his hand into a more comfortable position, his long, slender fingers intertwining with yours. You glanced down at the joint hands in surprise before shifting your gaze up to the male's face who was staring at you with a fond smile.

"I'll protect you from Iwa-chan and his mean teasing, okay?" The brunette winked and gave your hand a light squeeze, acting as a silent promise.

At those words, a speck of light pink dust settled on the apples of your cheeks. You turned your head away and tried to hide how flustered you were, although Oikawa probably already saw it. After all, nothing ever escaped that sharp eyes of his.

Before you could answer, Iwaizumi walked up to the two of you and grumbled. "If we don't hurry, we're really gonna be late for morning practice. It won't be good if all three of us arrived after everyone else."

Realization dawned upon Oikawa and without a moment to waste, he grabbed Iwaizumi with his other free hand who gave an annoyed "tch" but went along with it and pulled both of you down the street in a hurry.

"Come on!" He urged. "We can't have three of the most important people in the volleyball club to be late. What will our juniors make of us being bad examples?! We can't allow that to happen!"

As the manager of Aobajohsai Boys' Volleyball Team, you understood being there early, especially with Oikawa and Iwaizumi being the Captain and Vice-Captain. However, it wasn't such a big deal like how your brown-haired friend was making it out to be.

"T-Tooru," You gasped his name, feeling a bit breathless as you tried to keep up with his big strides with your short legs. "It's alright if we're a few minutes late. Also, can you slow down a bit?"

Your friend let out an incredulous gasp, turning to you with wide eyes as though he couldn't quite believe such words came from you. "(N/N)-chan! How can you say such a thing?!"

"I–," You began, only to stop when you realized whatever you were about to say would be of no use, especially when it came to Oikawa and his love for volleyball. "Never mind, forget I even said anything."

A helpless sigh escaped you as you allowed Oikawa to continue to pull you in the direction of Aobajohsai High. Meanwhile, Iwaizumi gave you a sympathy smile to which you returned with a shrug.

With that, the three of you headed off for morning practice as the sun slowly climbed its way up into the sky behind you.

* * *

The first class of the day had already started right after the bell rang, bringing homeroom period to an end for that day. With a tired sigh, you quietly dug through your school bag and retrieved your notebook for today's lesson.

Flipping to a new blank page, you were ready to focus and take down any important notes for review later. However, the moment the teacher began the class in his monotonous voice, you found your mind drifting instead of paying attention to what was being taught in class.

 _'If only one of the boys is here, then at least it won't be as boring.'_ You sighed, a small pout forming on your lips at how out of all the third years from the volleyball team, you were the only one who didn't share a class with any of them.

Both your best friends were in the same class with two of your other closest friends – Hanamaki and Matsukawa while the rest were together in a different class. All of them had each other while you had no one.

Okay, maybe it was a bit silly to make such a big deal out of this. After all, it wasn't like you were completely alone. You still have your girl best friend, Akiyama Hayami who was currently making weird and funny faces at you from across the classroom.

Lifting a hand up to your mouth, you stifled the giggles escaping lest you were caught by the teacher for being a disturbance in class. You finally calmed down and rolled your eyes at the huge grin aimed at you.

Despite the distraction, it wasn't long before your mind began to wander again and this time, it went to this morning practice. Soon, a light shade of pink settled on your cheeks as you recalled what went down this morning.

_"You are staring again."_

_"Ah!" You let out a startled yelp, nearly dropping the water bottles you were holding in your hands._

_Turning around to see who it was, you were greeted by the sight of Iwaizumi who was standing in front of you with a smug grin on his face._

_Immediately, a scowl formed on your face and glared at the male in front of you with narrowed eyes. "Hajime, for the last time stop scaring me. Also, I've no idea what you mean by that."_

_Your best friend simply quirked an eyebrow, his eyes shining with mirth as he replied. "Oh? Are you sure the reason you aren't staring at Oikawa is that you find him attractive as he does his jump serves? Please do correct me if I'm wrong."_

_You opened your mouth to protest, only for no words to come out when you knew that Iwaizumi was speaking the truth. Your scowl deepened as you shoved a water bottle into the male's chest with a red face._

_"Shut up and just drink your water." You grumbled, ignoring the knowing look in those dark eyes of his._

_Iwaizumi accepted the bottle and took a drink before passing it back to you, asking, "You're usually quite subtle about your crush on Oikawa, but earlier on and even now, you've been rather obvious about it. What changed?"_

_You were arranging the members' bottles neatly on the bench when Iwaizumi's words alerted you, causing you to knock down a few of the bottles. You whirled back around with wide eyes, panicking. "Shit! Does Tooru knows?! I don't want him to find out like this, not when I already have plans to confess before graduation!"_

_Iwaizumi couldn't help the amusement he felt towards your reaction. Nonetheless, being the good friend he was, he tried to calm you down with the assurance that Oikawa was still as oblivious to your feelings for him._

_"(Name), calm down." The dark-haired male chuckled, placing a firm hand on your shoulder. "That idiot is still as dense as ever. So, stop worrying as though the world's going to end."_

_You finally calmed down as the tension left your shoulders and they relaxed before glancing up at your friend with a wry smile. "I don't know if I should be thankful or upset at that fact."_

_Iwaizumi snorted as he turned his gaze upon the said person who had satisfaction written all over his face, his eyes burning with fire as he did another perfect jump serve. "If I were you, I'll definitely be upset especially so if you're planning on confessing to him."_

_His gaze shifted onto you once more before continuing with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Speaking of which, what brought on that change of mind? Considering, for the longest time, you've been determined in keeping your feelings for him to yourself and never letting him find out."_

_(E/C) eyes lingered on the brunette's perfect form as he did another jump serve and answered Iwaizumi. "Honestly, I was surprised too, at first at least seeing as how I've been hiding my feelings from Tooru ever since I discovered how I felt for him when we were only ten."_

_You paused to take a breath before going on, your gaze not once leaving Oikawa. "But then I really thought about if I would be satisfied just being his friend as long as I got to stay by his side? The answer immediately came to me as a 'no, I wouldn't be happy' because while it's already a privilege to be this close to him, I couldn't help but want more. Am I selfish for thinking that?"_

_Here, you turned to your best friend with a lost look, uncertainty reflecting in your eyes. Iwaizumi's face softened, reserved for you only as you are like a sister to him. He ruffled your hair fondly. "No, it's not selfish of you to think this way. We can't help who we end up falling for, although that idiot doesn't deserve your heart since you deserve better."_

_You giggled before shoving your shoulder gently against the spiker and lightly scolded him for threating his best friend like that. "Hajime, stop being so mean to Tooru! He's your best friend too in case you've forgotten."_

_"The gods must hate me since I ended up stuck with a pompous ass like him." Iwaizumi grumbled with little heat, but it still earned him a punch to his chest._

_"Hajime!" You reprimanded the male who simply looked away with a grunt, rubbing the area where you had hit him. Letting out a hopeless sigh, you shook your head in exasperated fondness for your dark-haired friend._

_Despite the way how Iwaizumi treated Oikawa, you knew that at the end of the day, he always has the brunette's best interests at heart. He was just too much of a tsundere to show his affections towards his friends the normal way._

_A second or so of silence passed before Iwaizumi spoke up, his voice filled with slight concern as the conversation from earlier on continued. "But aren't you afraid of rejection? And let's say if he does return your feelings, you know that his fangirls will be after your ass right. Even now, some of them still give you trouble for being so close to him right? I don't want you to end up hurting because of this idiot."_

_You understood the rationality behind Iwaizumi's worry because those thoughts were constantly on your mind. It was partially why you had kept your feelings for Oikawa to yourself this far._

_However, you realized that if you let these fears and what-ifs be the reasons preventing you from ever telling the truth, you knew that you would regret it one day to which you explained to your friend._

_"I get it, Hajime, I really do. After all, it's not like I never thought about all these before." You paused for a while, gathering your thoughts before going on. "However, as I mention before, if I want more but let all these stop me from doing so, then when will I ever have the chance to do so again?"_

_You stopped to simply catch your breath before continuing, unable to fully stop now. "Besides, this is my last chance to tell Tooru before graduation. Because after that, it's gonna be difficult since there's a high chance we won't end up in the same university. On top of that, Tooru will be too busy with aiming to become a professional volleyball player for such trivial matters like this."_

_Iwaizumi hummed in agreement but said nothing, knowing that you weren't quite done yet._

_"Even if he does end up not returning my feelings, I know that we won't stop being friends. Sure, it may be awkward at first, but eventually, things will return to normal because our friendship matters more. Also, if I don't tell him, I'll end up regretting it one day."_

_There were many things that Iwaizumi wanted to say, but he chose not to because he knew that once you set your mind to something, you would see it through to the end. That was just the kind of person you were._

_Instead, he pulled you into a side hug and leaned his head against yours, (h/c) hair brushing against his cheek. "If Shittykawa breaks your heart, let me know and I'll not hesitate to beat his ass up."_

_Warmth filled your being at your friend's words. Leaning into his side, not caring that he was sticky with sweat from playing volleyball, you replied with a smile. "I'll take you up on that offer then, Hajime."_

There was a small, but noticeable tender smile on your face as the flashback came to an end. Gratitude filled your heart at the thought of Iwaizumi having your back and knowing that you could rely on him no matter what.

Initially, you weren't planning to tell anyone about this little goal of yours but now, you were glad you told someone. Suddenly an idea struck you when you glanced around and met a pair of familiar black eyes looking at you in slight concern.

Hayami, who finally caught your attention, silently asked, _"Are you okay?"_

You blinked at the sudden question, wondering why she had asked you that when realization dawned upon you. While you were having your flashback, you probably looked zoned out to your friend and she must have worried about you since it was not often you don't pay attention in class.

Not wanting to worry the black-haired girl any further, you gave her a reassuring smile and mouthed your reply. _"I'll tell you about it later."_

She furrowed her eyebrows, but nodded her head in understanding, trusting that you would explain everything to her.

With that, you turned to face the front of the class and you allowed one last thought to cross your mind before picking up your pencil to take down notes as you should be from the very start.

_'Maybe it won't hurt to tell one more person. After all, when it comes to love, we girls are basically an expert on that topic.'_

* * *

The moment the bell for lunch period rang, Hayami made her way over to your desk and turned the empty chair in front of you so that she was facing you as she took a seat.

You hadn't even had the chance to take out your lunch box when your friend leaned forward, her face only an inch away from you. Her eyes were sparkling with curiosity and eagerness, licking her lips with anticipation at what you had promised to tell her earlier on.

"So," She dragged out the "o" and let it hang there as she waited for you to fill the silence.

Rolling your eyes, you picked up your chopsticks and firmly pushed her face out of your personal space with its head. "Calm your ass down. At least, let me have a few bites of my lunch first."

Hayami let out a petulant whine as she clutched her forehead where your chopsticks had dug into her skin. "Come on, (name)-chan! Don't make me wait any longer! I've been doing that all morning."

Used to her childish antics, you simply fixed her a deadpan stare. "Then wait some more. It's not like you're gonna die if I don't tell you straight away."

"But (name)-chan!" She protested, fixing you the puppy eyes in the hope you would give in to her.

Unfortunately for your friend, you had years of practice in building immunity towards puppy eyes all thanks to Oikawa who always tried to get his way by widening those chocolate orbs and sticking his bottom lips out into a pout.

(Although, there were occasions where you found it to be irresistible and end up giving in to his whims. You blamed the love-addled side of your brain for that.)

"No." You replied in a firm tone and pointed to her unopened lunch box. "Eat first, talk later."

Knowing that it was pointless to argue with you, Hayami's shoulders drooped and she pouted as she opened up her lunch box and stabbed her chopsticks into the rice unhappily.

Happy that your friend listened to you without putting up so much as a fight, you opened your lunch and (e/c) eyes lit up with delight upon seeing how your mother had prepared all your favourites today.

It was a tradition of your mother to always prepare your favourite lunch meal on the first day of school as a "good luck" kind of charm to starting a new school year on the right note.

Unlike Hayami who was still sulkily eating her lunch, you happily dug into yours without any complaints, letting out pleased noises here and there at how delicious your lunch was.

For the next 15 minutes or so, both of you ate in companionable silence – you, enjoying the savouriness of the food while Hayami shoved mouthful after mouthful of her lunch as though as she hadn't eaten for days and was starving.

The moment the last mouthful of her lunch was gone, she slammed her lunch box and chopsticks onto the table with a light thud – her mouth still full of her unchewed food as she demanded, with an underlayer of threat, to spill the tea now.

"I've eaten my lunch first as you ask me to," Her words came out slightly undistinguishable as she half-spoke and half-chewed her food concurrently. "So, tell me now before I burst to death from the curiosity building up within me since morning till now!"

Food spewed from her mouth at the small outburst at the end of the sentence, causing it to fly everywhere. Thanks to your quick reflexes, you managed to pull your lunch box out of the way before any of stray pieces landed in it.

"Hayami-chan!" You screeched in disgust, cradling your lunch box to your chest as a protective mother would with her child as you stared at her with wide, shocked eyes. "That's disgusting! Don't talk when your mouth's full of food!!"

At least your friend had the decency to look guilty as she swallowed her food before mumbling an apology, unable to meet you in the eyes. With a hopeless sigh, you placed your lunch box down carefully on the edge of your desk where it was the only spot left untouched by Hayami 's chewed food.

You reached for your school bag to retrieve a packet of tissue before pulling out a few pieces to clean up the mess on your school desk.

"Honestly, Hayami-chan," You began in an admonishing tone as you wiped down the desk, your nose wrinkling in slight repulsion. "Will it really kill you that much to wait? Gosh, you're already in your final year of high school and yet, you still act like you're in elementary school! Please act more like your age!"

Hayami's hunched in on herself, trying to make herself appeared smaller as you scolded her for the next few minutes while cleaning up her mess. When you were done and had disposed the tissues to the side to be cleared later, you resumed your lunch in silent fury.

Hayami slowly raised her head, only to wince at how furiously you were stabbing your chopsticks into the rice, taking out your anger on those poor, innocent white grains who did nothing to incur your wrath.

"I'm sorry, (name)-chan," The black-haired girl mumbled, flinching slightly when you directed your glare at her. "You know how I get when I'm excited about something. I really didn't mean to make you angry."

For the umpteenth time, you let out a sigh and shook your head in exasperated fondness directed at your friend. Your eyes softened slightly, yet you still fixed her with a pointed look, pointing your chopsticks at her to drive your point home.

"I'll forgive you this once but know that I won't be as merciful the next time around if you do something like that again. Do you hear me, young lady?"

" _Osu_!" Hayami saluted you and nodded her head eagerly to show that she understood.

Reaching over, you pinched her right cheek with a bit of force and pulled as small revenge for what she did, causing her to let a whine as she complained at the pain.

"(Name)-chan," She dragged out your name. "That really hurts!"

"Count this as your punishment." There was a slight sadistic glint in your (e/c) eyes as you grinned like a madman before deciding she was punished enough and released her. "I won't go easy on you next time."

"Mean!" Hayami wailed as she rubbed her now reddened cheek. "You're becoming more and more like Iwaizumi-kun! I really feel so sorry for Oikawa-kun for having you two as his best friends."

"Eh, if he survived this far into our friendship, he'll be fine." You shrugged nonchalantly and waved off her worries, not even bothered one bit.

Hayami was unable to do anything but felt sorry for the setter and sent a silent prayer to heaven. Oikawa must really have it tough with you and Iwaizumi as his friends.

**Time skipped**

The sound of shoes squeaking against the polished wooden floorings and volleyballs hitting the walls could be heard coming from the gym as Aobajohsai Boys' Volleyball Team was having their usual afternoon practice now that school had officially started.

You were currently having a discussion with the team's head coach, Nobuteru Irihata, while the coach, Sadayuki Mizoguchi was overlooking the internal practice match going on currently amongst the members.

"Nobu-sensei, this coming Wednesday, the school's having its annual club activities festival in the afternoon after school for the new first years." You explained to the old man as you looked through your notebook. "While we can still go about having our usual morning practice, we have to change things up a bit if we're planning to do the selection after the try-outs this Friday. What do you suggest the team should do?"

"Mm," Nobuteru stroked his chin as he contemplated your words, going through the various possibilities in his head.

You stood there in silence, your notebook opened and pencil ready to take down any notes, giving the coach the space he needed to think things through. As the manager of the volleyball team, it was your job to assist the coaches in admin matters such as this for example.

Like Oikawa and Iwaizumi, you developed a deep love for volleyball while growing up. You would always join the boys in their practices which were held in either of their backyards, cheered on your favourite team whenever the three of you were watching matches on the small television in Oikawa's living room and that one time when all of you were brought to a live match, you remembered the excitement coursing through your body as you watched the volleyball players spiked and received the ball with raptured (e/c) eyes – unable to tear your gaze away from them.

That was why you were so sure you would join the girls' volleyball team when you enrolled into Kitagawa Junior High along with your best friends and become a great player like you knew they would on the boy's team.

So, imagine the surprise and disappointment you felt when that spark of love you always thought you had towards volleyball did not appear once even when you were playing the sport just fine.

At first, you thought maybe it was because you weren't good at it but there wasn't that rush of satisfaction running through your veins even if you did every spike, receive, blocking and serve perfectly.

You thought you were losing your love for volleyball and that scared you.

However, you realized that wasn't the case which you later discovered on. Instead, the reason why you didn't feel that passion when you played the sport was because your best friends weren't there to share that feeling with you.

It dawned upon you when you attended their first official match against another school and remembered that same rush of joy and love towards volleyball as you watched how Iwaizumi perfectly spiked the toss set by Oikawa over the net and slammed past the blockers, earning their team the victory point.

The pure happiness that swelled in your heart, along with the fierce pride aimed at your best friends sent warm tingles down to the tips of your toes as the three of you celebrated their win at all of your favourite pizza joint.

At that moment, squashed in between both Iwaizumi and Oikawa with their cheeks still a light red from all the excitement of winning and their eyes blazing with life, you realized that volleyball wasn't the same without them.

Volleyball just didn't feel right without them because for your entire life, you had come to associate the sport with your best friends and wanted to be there with them at every win they would have in the future like that fateful day.

With that decision in mind, you quit the girls' team the next day and joined the boy's team as a manager much to the elation and surprise of your friends. Ever since then, volleyball had never felt more alive to you.

It was only natural that you followed them and signed up as the manager when they joined the boys' team in high school.

You were brought out of your thoughts when Nobuteru cleared his throat to get your attention. Apologising for daydreaming, you paid attention to what he was saying and took down the relevant notes, nodding your head here and there to show that you were listening.

"Let me get this straight. You're planning to have a practice match which will be open to anyone to come watch so that they'll be able to see for themselves if they're interested in volleyball." You tapped your pencil against your notebook, your brows furrowing in concentration. "As for the try-outs, it's open to any first or second years who are interested to try out for the team. Did I get everything right?"

"Yes, you did, my dear." Nobuteru let out a chuckle upon seeing the serious look on your face. The coach treated all the volleyball members as though they were his own children, but you hold a special place in his heart.

Maybe because you were the only girl amongst a group of rowdy, teenage boys and it made the gym filled with sweat and body odour a much more endurable place.

"If we want people coming to our match, they have to know about it in the first place. Maybe I'll do up a simple poster tonight and get them printed by tomorrow morning so that I can get the boys to distribute it out during lunch period to the first and second years. Although maybe it won't be as difficult to spread the word by mouth if I get Tooru to tell his fangirls about it. Ah, but then it'll be too much of a hassle if most of the audience turnouts are his fangirls since they may end up scaring the potential first years with their loud screaming. Curse that trash and his stupid perfect hair!"

Nobuteru let out another chuckle at your frustrated mumbling while you scribbled furiously in your notebook, his eyes crinkled with fondness.

After ten minutes of struggling whether for Oikawa to inform his fanbase about the upcoming match on Wednesday or not, you finally settled with an "I won't ask him to do it, but if he chooses to do it, then it's his problem, not mine" answer.

With a satisfied nod, you wrote down the last few important details in case you might forget later on and snapped the notebook shut. The timing was just right because the whistle blew and the match came to an end with Oikawa's team in the lead with five points.

You rolled your eyes as Oikawa stuck his tongue out while pulling the bottom of his right eye with a finger to taunt Iwaizumi for his team loss which only provoked the black-haired male who retaliated immediately.

"What an idiot." You muttered to yourself as you turned away from the duo, Iwaizumi had Oikawa in a headlock as he dug his knuckles into the latter's skull, to face the bench and double-checked that all your teammates' bottles were present.

The rest of the team ignored their captain's cries for help as their ace continued to murder the living daylights of him. After all, Oikawa was the one who asked for it anyways so why bothered saving him.

Instead, they made their way over to where you were to rehydrate themselves and rest up for a bit before moving on to the next portion of the training. Two of your other closest third-years friends, Hanamaki and Matsukawa were the first two to approach you.

With a happy smile, you offered their bottles to them which they accepted with muttered "thanks" before greedily drinking up, replenishing the loss of water through perspiration. Laughing, you turned away from them and began to pass out the bottles to the rest of the team.

While everyone had already drunk up and was resting, then did both Iwaizumi and Oikawa mad their way to the bench to each grabbed their own bottles each.

You were going around the gym picking up stray balls when suddenly, you felt two tall presences coming from behind you. Not fazed at all, you continued what you were doing as you addressed the duo.

"Issei-kun and Hiro-kun, how can I help you both? I'm kinda busy at the moment." You greeted the two troublemakers of the team, knowing straight away it was them without having even to turn around to look at them.

You could hear the pout in Hanamaki's voice as he replied, "Unfair! How do you know it's always us without having even to look?"

Chuckling, you stood up and walked over to the cart where you deposited an armful of volleyballs before turning to face them with a small grin. "We've been friends for two years already. It'll be kind of rude if I'm unable to tell who my friends are without so much as looking at them."

"Told you so, yet you still don't believe me each time." Matsukawa gave his friend an "I-told-you-so" look before shoving past him to help you picked up the remaining few stray balls still left lying around.

"Still, (Name)-chan shouldn't be able to tell it's us immediately all the time! It's weird!" Hanamaki complained as he, too, decided to help you with the balls.

There was an offended frown on your face as you replied, "That's just insulting, Hiro-kun. Besides, you two always have this mischievous vibe that practically gives you away to anyone who knows you. Even Hajime and Tooru can tell it's you guys without so much as a glance."

Hanamaki paused in his picking up of balls and opened his mouth, ready to argue when he realized you got a valid point and ended up muttering a "whatever" as he resumed what he was doing before.

The corners of your lips quirked up into a smug grin at winning the fight as Matsukawa laughed at his friend's misery. "Didn't we all agree that (Name)-chan's the only person here that we're unable to argue with without getting our asses handed to us?"

"Shut up," Said person grumbled.

There's a reason why everyone on the team always listened to you no matter what. They might ignore their captain all the time and their vice-captain at times but they knew better than to get on your bad side.

"So, what can I help you, idiots, with today?" You asked. "There must be a reason why you two would find me instead of resting like you should be doing."

While most of the times you were able to tell what sort of troubles these duos might be up to, there were still a few times where it completely went over your head and this was one of them.

You missed the smirks that they exchanged with each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes. So, you were taken aback by surprise when they towered in front of you and kept backing up until your back hit the gym wall behind you with no way to escape since their large frames practically took up the pace on your right and left.

You were basically trapped like a mouse.

(E/C) eyes darted left and right before glancing up to meet your friends' gazes, smiling nervously when you saw the knowing smirks on their faces. "W-What are you guys doing? P-Practice is about to start, so maybe the two of you should get back to where everyone is waiting?"

"Oh, it'll be a while before practice starts again, right Mattsun?" There was a drawl in the voice of your light-haired friend which sent a shiver down your spine, his eyes sidling to glance at Matsukawa.

The dark-haired middle blocker nodded in agreement, one side of his mouth quirked up into that infamous smirk of his whenever he teased his favourite duo also known as your best friends and occasionally you as well.

"You're right, Makki. Coach's kinda busy talking with our captains to start practice so soon." Matsukawa answered. "So, we've some time to kill."

"W-What are you guys exactly planning?" You tried to put on a brave face, but mentally cursed when you heard the slight stutter in your voice. Usually, you would be on the sidelines, laughing your head off at whatever antics they had pulled on Iwaizumi and Oikawa, so to suddenly be on the receiving end, you were a bit intimidated by your friends, to say the least.

Hanamaki's face leaned in closer, borderline invading your personal space. You shifted uncomfortably in your position and pressed yourself closer to the wall, practically melting into it if it was physically possible.

"I heard from a little birdy that you're planning to confess your feelings to a certain setter." You immediately froze at those words, but your friend was so into it that he did not notice you had gone rigid under him.

So, he went on unknowingly. "Well, as your good friends, Matsukawa and I have decided to offer you our service."

Hanamaki took a step back and exchanged high fives with Matsukawa, large grins on their faces while they waited for your answer. Except a few seconds had gone by and yet, they heard nothing coming from you.

Curiosity and concern filled their beings, wondering if both of them had gone overboard a bit and probably scared you into silence. They were just about to ask when suddenly they felt a wave of anger washed over them.

The duo immediately backtracked a few steps, taken aback by the intensity of the anger coming from you. Fear licked the bottom of their spines before crawling upwards and causing the hairs on their necks to rise.

The only time they had felt like this was back in the first year where you nearly tore the throat out of a girl who Oikawa had a genuine crush back then humiliating the brunette in front of a crowd, Valentine's chocolates he had painstakingly prepared the night before, lying on the ground in a melted goo of mess while he stood there with his head hanging low and taking the verbal abuse.

This was before the setter became popular due to playing volleyball and earned himself a fanbase of girls falling over themselves just to have a few seconds of his attention on them. Even now when he had an entourage of girls and receiving love confessions almost every other day, Oikawa always rejected them ever since that fateful day.

Back to the present where Hanamaki and Matsukawa feared for their lives now that they were on the receiving end of your fury.

(E/C) orbs glinted with an unknown emotion, hidden in the shadows of your hair. A low growl emitted from the back of your throat as you lifted your head slightly so that you could look them in the eyes as you asked, "Who?"

"H-Huh?" Matsukawa mentally cursed at the slight stammer in his voice, but honestly who could blame him when faced with their livid manager.

"I asked who," You repeated. "Who told you?"

"Oh, you meant _that_." Understanding dawned upon the dark-haired male and answered, "Well, you know how Aki-chan is like when she gets excited over something."

The anger dissipated, replaced by irritation upon hearing your best friend's name and let out a groan. "Of course it'll be her. Hajime's not the kind to go around spilling other people's secret. I'm gonna kill her in class tomorrow!"

Hanamaki perked up, his eyes lighting up with interest. "Oh? Iwaizumi knows too? Why am I not surprised?"

Your eyes widened in indignation as you spluttered, "T-That's not the point!"

Now that they weren't in any danger, they relaxed as teasing smirks appeared on their faces once more. "So, do you need our help in confessing your undying love for a certain brunette?"

"S-Shut up!" You immediately replied, your face slowly turning red. "I don't need anyone's help. Besides, I'm a 100% sure the two of you will turn it into a joke of some sort with your meddling."

"Ouch, you wound my heart (Name)-chan." Hanamaki clutched his chest as though you had physically hurt him. The grin on his face said otherwise though. "We're only just trying to be good friends."

"Look," You began with a sigh, rubbing your forehead as you felt an oncoming headache dealing with your friends. "I appreciate the thought, but this is really important to me so please just..."

You trailed off, unsure of how to continue as you didn't want to come across as unappreciative but your friends understood you perfectly. The teasing grins were replaced by soft smiles as Matsukawa and Hanamaki closed the remaining gap, bringing you into a group hug.

"We get it, (name)-chan. We just wanted you to know that you'll have our support." Hanamaki said, squeezing your shoulders gently.

The other male nodded his head in agreement and teased lightly. "We'll not meddle if that's what you want, although no promises we'll still try."

You elbowed your messy-haired friend but couldn't help chuckling at his words. Your heart warmed as you glanced up at the two taller males, beaming with contentment. "Thanks, guys."

"No problem."

* * *

That night as you laid in bed, minutes away from falling asleep, you couldn't help but thank your lucky stars for the wonderful friends you had. All of them, except Oikawa, knew about your feelings for said person and had been supportive in their own ways.

No amount of words could thank them for having your back and you knew that in your final year at Aobajohsai, you were going to need it now more than ever. They went as far as to promise to kick the brown-haired setter's ass if he ever broke your heart which you couldn't help but let out a light chuckle.

A yawn passed through your lips and tears prickled in the corners of your eyes. Seeing how late it was, you finally decided to turn in for the night. As your eyelids fluttered shut and you snuggled deeper into the duvet, you soon fell asleep with a small smile on your face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Anyways, I've decided to make some changes in terms of the chapter titles. I'll be skipping a number of days, depending on the plot and timeline of the chapter, instead of going in sequence like Day 1, 2, 3 and so on because if I have a chapter for each day of the year, this story is going to never end. You'll die from boredom and I'll die from writing too much.
> 
> I'll also be giving each chapter a title, for example, this chapter is called "Unexpected Support" and renaming it to "[1/365] instead of like "Day 1". I know some of you probably like to keep track of the number of chapters a book may have, so I'll be labelling the chapter number at the start of each new chapter in bold just in case you're one of those people. 
> 
> I hope this clarifies things up and not cause confusion hahaha. If you have any question, feel free to drop me a message or in the comments and I'll try my best to answer them all. 
> 
> That's all and always, happy reading!


	3. A Familiar Face

**Chapter 2 - A Familiar Face**

**April**

The steady humming of the printer filled the empty school library, acting as background music to fill up the stillness. A yawn escaped your lips and tears prickled the corners of your eyes as you waited for the posters to be printed out. 

You let out another tired yawn as you fought against drooping eyelids, wanting nothing more than to return home to your warm bed and sleep for the next hundred years or so. You were a morning person, used to it after years of waking at the crack ass of dawn to attend morning practices. 

However, that was if you had plenty of sleep the night before which you did not have last night upon staying up late to work on the poster regarding the upcoming volleyball match on Wednesday. 

_‘It’s way too early for one’s brain to function,’_ You blinked sluggishly as you glanced over to the clock on the wall above the reception counter – the time now read as 7.30 am. 

Somewhere at the back of your mind, you hardly registered that there was still plenty of time to return to the gym where the volleyball team was having their morning practice and briefed them about the posters before they left to get ready for their first period. 

A “beep” sound came from the printer and the red light turned green, indicating that all copies of the poster were printed out. Gathering the loose papers, you shuffled them into a neat pile into your arms before exiting the library – the glass door swinging shut after you. 

Streams of sunlight entering through the wide windows along the hallway, lighting up dust motes dancing in the air as you made your way back to the gym, the morning sun bringing out the (h/c) strands in your hair. 

Turning your face towards the window, your eyes slid shut and silently enjoyed the sun washing your body with its warmth, feeling a whole lot more energized than before. Your lips quirked up into a small smile and (e/c) eyes fluttered opened, glimmering like (e/c) gems. 

With spring in each step and your smile never waning, you continued your journey back to the gym with the pile of posters clutched tightly to your chest fluttering in your wake. 

**Time skipped**

“Sensei, this is the poster for the volleyball practice match tomorrow.” You handed one of the many copies in your clutch to the older man who accepted it with a small smile.

Grey eyes narrowed slightly as Nobuteru squinted to get a better look at the piece of paper in his hand, his eyesight was no longer perfect like he used to with old age catching up to him. 

“Hmm,” The black-haired coach hummed thoughtfully as he handed the poster back to you with a satisfied nod. “That’s good. Great job, (L/N).”

A wide beam appeared on your face and (e/c) orbs sparkled with happiness at the acknowledgement of a job well done. Bowing slightly to Nobuteru, you showed your gratitude with enthusiasm. “Thank you, Nobu-sensei!”

The head coach chuckled quietly to himself and raised a hand to give an affirmative pat to your head, saying, “That’s quite alright, my dear. I know I’ve said this many times, but the team won’t be where they are without you.”

You could feel tears stinging at the back of your eyes and your soul warmed at those words of encouragement and praise, but now wasn’t the time to cry over it. You would save that for later at night when you were in the privacy of your bedroom. 

Bowing once more, this time at a 90-degree angle, you replied with all the sincerity from the bottom of your heart. “I’ll continue to work hard for the team, sensei!”

“I’m glad to hear that,” His eyes softening for a moment and allowed a small smile to graze his lips before he was shooing you off in the direction of the team where they were being debriefed by the other coach. “Now, I suggest you hurry on over to the team before Mizoguchi-sensei dismisses them and then it’ll be hard to get their attention.”

“Shoot, you’re right!” (E/C) eyes widened slightly at Nobuteru’s point. You thanked him again with a quick bow before whirling around and scurrying over to the other side of the gym where Mizoguchi was just wrapping things which meant you weren’t too late.

You heaved a sigh of relief at the thought of not having to struggle to gain the attention of all ten or odd-so teens who wanted nothing more than to escape the stuffy gym and washed off the sweat of this morning’s practice. 

However, in your quick haste, you did not notice the shoelace on your right shoe loosening and stepped on it with your other shoe, causing you to jerk forward and lost your balance.

Immediately, a startled yelp left your lips and (e/c) orbs widened in shock. On an instinct, your arms stretched out in front of you to try and minimize the impact which caused you to lose your grip on the posters, sending them flying into the air and scattering like Sakura petals. 

You braced for the inevitable pain to come, yet that did not happen because, at the very last moment, a strong and sturdy arm wrapped itself around your waist, preventing you from meeting your demise. 

Wide, round (e/c) orbs stared confusedly at a pair of familiar chocolate eyes similarly gazing into yours. Oikawa’s brows were furrowed with worry, his pupils darting left and right as he scanned your face for any injuries. 

“Are you okay, (Name)-chan?” The brunette asked as he put you back on your feet, his arm still wound tightly around your waist. “Thank goodness I was able to catch you before you fall flat onto your face.”

Still feeling more puzzled than shock at what just occurred, you could only nod your head in reply. Your brain was still trying to process what had gone on that you almost missed what Oikawa said. 

“Phew,” The setter let out a sigh of relief and released his hold on you, taking a step back from your personal space much to your disappointment. “We can’t have anything bad happen to your pretty face. After all, you’re our precious manager!”

He sent a wink in your direction at the word “precious”, his lips curled into a flirty grin that he usually reserved for his fangirls. Immediately, all thoughts about what transpired earlier flew out of the window as your face became flushed, bright red painting the apples of your cheeks. 

You opened your mouth to reply, but no words came out and all you could hear was the loud thumping of your heart in your ears. You could feel your face growing hotter as each second passed to the point that the grin on Oikawa’s face was replaced by a frown, the same concern from before sitting on his brows. 

“(Name)-chan?” He waved a hand in front of your face to get a reaction out of you. “Hello? Anybody home?”

His action jerked you out of your stupor and nearly jumped out of your skin when you saw his face only a mere inch away from yours, wide chocolate orbs peering in your soul. Your face suddenly felt so much hotter, so much that you had to cover it with your hands. 

“T-Tooru,” You stammered into your hands. “W-Why are you standing so close?!”

Calloused fingers from years of playing volleyball wrapped around your wrists and gently pulled them to the side, revealing your face. Oikawa glanced down at you with the fondest expression, a soft smile displayed on his lips. 

“(Name)-chan, please be more careful next time. I won’t be able to always be there to catch you if you do fall again. Can you promise me that?”

Butterflies erupted in your stomach at how the brown-haired male was gazing upon you with eyes shining in adoration. You were rendered speechless and could only nod your head in reply, the words stuck at the back of your throat. 

His eyes gleamed with glee at your silent agreement, his cheeks dusted in light pink as he brought your hands that were still clutched in his up to his mouth, planting a chaste kiss – his lips light as a flutter of butterfly wings. 

Oikawa pulled back just enough to whisper, his hot breath brushing over your skin. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

You let out a faint gasp, (e/c) orbs wide in shock and disbelief, completely taken aback by what your friend just did as it seemed out of the ordinary. This was your first time seeing Oikawa being this way in front of a female and that’s saying a lot for someone who was always surrounded by girls. 

Your brain nearly combusted on the spot right there and then trying to figure Oikawa out, but luck seemed to be on your side today because Hanamaki interrupted the both of you before you could send your mind into overdrive at an attempt to solve this mystery. 

“So,” The light-haired male interrupted, dragging out the word. “Which one of you is gonna confess your dying love to the other party first?”

There was a knowing smirk on his face along with Matsukawa and Iwaizumi while the rest of the third years wore looks of amusement. Yahaba, Watari and the remaining second years, on the other hand, looked like they rather be anywhere but here right now, not wanting to be a part of their upperclassmen’s affairs. 

For the second time in less than ten minutes, you froze at Hanamaki’s question while Oikawa simply blinked his eyes a few times, tilting his head to the side in confusion. “Why will we do that? Only people who are in love with each other will do that. (Name)-chan and I aren’t like that, we’re just best friends!”

Immediately, Matsukawa and Hanamaki burst into laughter, their voices echoing throughout the gym while Iwaizumi let out a disappointed sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, holding back the strong urge to beat some sense into the idiot he called his best friend. 

At the same time, he felt extremely sorry for his other best friend who out of many fishes in the sea just had to fall for the wrong one. Meanwhile, you could hear your heart breaking into a million pieces at being friend-zoned. 

“What?” The brown-haired male questioned the laughing duo in bewilderment, unsure of what had gotten into them. “Why are the two of you laughing??”

“O-Oh my god!” Hanamaki wheezed between laughter, one hand clutching his stomach while the other held onto Matsukawa’s shoulder for support. “I-I can’t believe you’re that oblivious! Shit, I’m gonna die! This is way too funny!”

“How rude, Makki! I’m the smartest person on this team so what are you talking about?!” Oikawa protested, feeling offended that his friend dared to insult his intelligence. 

“Nope, you’re officially the dumbest person on this team.” Matsukawa snickered. “It’s so obvious that even a blind man can tell.”

Confusion sat atop of Oikawa’s brows. “Huh? What is obvious?”

Mischief gleamed in the middle blocker’s eyes which went unnoticed by Iwaizumi whose eyes narrowed in warning. “Mattsun, don’t you dare.”

Ignoring his vice-captain, Matsukawa answered with a wide knowing smirk. “It’s so obvious that (Name)-chan’s in—”

“AHHHH!” You jumped in with flailing arms, cutting your friend off before he had the chance to spill your innermost, darkest secret to Oikawa. “ISSEI-KUN! I TRUSTED YOU!”

“Oops, sorry about that.” Matsukawa apologised although he didn’t sound sorry at all judging from the wide grin still present on his face. 

Fuming, (e/c) orbs were glaring at the dark-haired male as you planned out his murder in your mind. Oikawa’s eyes were jumping back and forth between his friends, dying to know what was going on as well as find out Matsukawa was about to say when you interrupted him. 

You were still glaring daggers at your friend when the setter couldn’t take it anymore and gave in to his curiosity. 

“Mattsun!” Oikawa exclaimed, drawing said person’s attention to him. “You were about to say something concerning (Name)-chan when she cut you off. What was it about??”

You spun around with jaws dropped wide open in shock and disbelief as you expected the brunette to forget about it and moved on which immediately sent you into panic mode. 

Stepping in front of Matsukawa so that you were blocking him from Oikawa’s view as you tried to distract him with the posters that you had been holding onto this whole time. “T-Tooru! It’s nothing important! Here, why don’t you help me distribute these to the team while I brief them on what to do with it.”

However, it didn’t work like you were hoping it to be because once something caught Oikawa’s attention, nothing else mattered. The male tried to push you aside but you were determined to keep him in the dark regarding your feelings for him until you told him yourself. 

“Oho, are you really that interested?” Hanamaki, who was not on your side at all, egged the volleyball captain on. 

“Yes!” Oikawa nodded his head like an eager puppy while you shook your head desperately, shouting. “No, he doesn’t!”

Before any more damage could be done, Iwaizumi, who had enough of this nonsense, decided to end it right here, right now. 

“Enough!” His voice thundered throughout the gym, causing everyone to flinch in fear. “School is starting soon and instead of getting ready so we won’t be late, the four of you are behaving like children! It’s going to be your fault if the underclassmen are late for the first period!”

“Iwaizumi-san, it’s really okay.” Watari, the libero, tried to placate his fuming upperclassman, not wanting an argument to break out amongst the third years then they would be late for sure. “There’s still time if we leave to get ready for school.”

You perked up upon hearing that and immediately stepped in before Iwaizumi dismissed the team and lost your chance to brief them. 

“Wait, don’t go yet! I’ve something to say!” You waved the stack of posters in the air to get everyone’s attention before turning to your best friend with a sheepish grin. “Hajime, I just need ten minutes to explain myself. It’s really important.”

You peered up at the dark-haired male with wide, pleading eyes, the bottom of your lips jutting out into a pout. Iwaizumi let out a sigh and nodded his head, stepping to one side and gave you the space to address the team. 

Thanking him with a smile, you turned to face your teammates who were giving you their undivided attention although their expressions held curiosity, wanting to know what you had to say to them. 

“I’m sure Mizoguchi-sensei already brief y’all on the public match that will be taking place tomorrow after class for the club activities festival.” Everyone nodded their heads and you went on. “Well, if we want people to come, they need to know about it in the first place. I designed a poster last night and have printed out a few copies. One person is to take a few each.”

You instructed and handed them out to the members who took a few each before passing on to the next person. Once everyone had a few copies, you went on explaining. “The match aims to attract both first and second years that we hope to recruit after the try-outs. We’ll be spreading the word about the match during lunch period and that’s where all of you come in.”

You turned to the second years first. “Yahaba and Watari, I’m leaving the two of you in-charge to go to the all the second year’s classes and inform them about the match while handing out the posters if possible to whoever is interested. Will you be okay on your own?”

“We’ll be fine, (L/N)-san.” The two of them answered and you smiled before facing your own fellow third years. 

“What about the first years?” Iwaizumi lifted a brow in question. “Shouldn’t they be the main focus considering we need first years on the team?”

Chuckling, you replied with a shake of your head. “Patience Hajime. I haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

“Sorry.” Iwaizumi apologised sheepishly, rubbing the back of his need in slight embarrassment. 

“No worries,” You waved off his apology before going back to the matter at hand. “As for the first years, we third years will be the ones going to their classes during lunch period and do the same as what the second years are doing.”

A charming smile, the one that Oikawa always used around his fan club, appeared on his face, his brown eyes glimmering with confidence. “I’ll use my charming personality to cast a spell on the male population so that they’ll join the team without hesitation when I ask them to.”

“That shitty personality of yours only works the female student body, you dumb ass.” Iwaizumi walked up to his setter, hitting him lightly on the head. 

“Iwa-chan! You’re so mean!” Oikawa cried crocodile tears as he clutched his head. “No wonder no girls like you!”

“Why you, Shittykawa!” The black-haired male growled as he raised his hand clenched into a fist over Oikawa’s head and punching him real hard this time around. 

While Iwaizumi was committing a murder scene at the gym, you let out a sigh which went unnoticed by your other two friends who exchanged glances with each other before Hanamaki turned to face you again, asking what was the matter. 

“Is everything alright? Are you worried that people may not turn up for the match?”

Matsukawa spoke up from beside his friend, a reassuring smile on his face. “If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry about. We have our trusty captain after all.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” You let out a chuckle upon seeing the puzzled look directed at you. “I’m not worried that people won’t turn up for the match because I know for sure a large audience will turn up. What I’m more concern about is that a large turn-up will be Tooru’s fangirls who may end up scaring the first years.”

“Oh.” Was their simple reply, understanding what you meant. 

Your gaze shifted over to where Oikawa was begging for mercy which was ignored by Iwaizumi as you continued. “That’s why I’m hesitant in asking for his help but if I don’t, he’s gonna complain about it and I don’t have the time nor the energy to deal with a whiny Tooru.”

Hanamaki placed a comforting hand on your shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You don’t have to worry about (Name)-chan. We have Iwaizumi for a reason.”

“Yeap.” Matsukawa agreed as three of you watched said person clutching tightly onto the back collar of Oikawa’s shirt and dragging him back to where everyone else was. “Hence why we chose him as our vice-captain because he’s the only person who can put our dearest captain in place.”

(E/C) orbs glowed with a fondness for your best friends, your eyes never leaving their forms, saying softly. “I guess there’s nothing to worry about after all.”

* * *

A hundred pairs of eyes were fixated onto the three figures walking down the hallway, their gaze following their every movement. The first years of Aobajohsai High were taken aback by the sight of what looked like to be their upperclassmen, wondering what they were doing on their floor. 

(E/C) orbs swept the hallway and watched in uncertainty as the first years whispered amongst themselves all the while their stares continued to observe your group of trio. You were starting to feel uncomfortable being placed in the spot, unused to all the attention. 

Feeling shy, you shuffled towards Iwaizumi and hid behind his bigger frame from all the prying eyes. You could feel the tension leaving your body as your shoulders relaxed, letting out a relieved sigh. 

Iwaizumi heard the little sigh escaping your mouth and turned to look over his shoulders, his brows raised in question. “What’s the matter?”

Peeking out slightly, you explained with a sheepish smile. “Their stares can be a bit intimidating. I’m not used to it.”

Your friend let out a chuckle and ruffled your hair, messing up your (hairstyle) slightly. “The first years should be the ones who are afraid of our presences and not the other way round.”

You stepped out from your hiding position with a pout on your lips as you fixed your hair. “Unlike you who is always under the spotlight from playing volleyball, I don’t have that privilege so it’s not my fault if I’m not used to it.”

“You’re right but that doesn’t mean I like the attention either. I just choose to ignore them. The only person who thrives from this is none other Shittykawa over there.” 

Your gaze shifted over to where Iwaizumi was pointing at the said person who was already chatting up with his first victims – a group of poor, unsuspecting first-year girls who were already falling for his charms judging based on the starry look in their eyes and pink cheeks. 

Eyes closed, you sent a prayer for their impending demise to heaven as Iwaizumi rolled up his sleeve and marched over, his arm muscles flexing in preparation for a punch. Ignoring Oikawa’s cries as his dark-haired friend pummelled him to death, you walked over to the group of frightened girls and apologised to them for your friends’ behaviours on their behalf. 

“I’m really sorry about that.” Your cheeks pinked in embarrassment as Oikawa’s loud wails echoed down the hallway. 

“I-It’s okay, senpai.” One of the girls with her black hair tied into twin pigtails stuttered, her own cheeks turning a light pink as well although from a totally different reason than yours. “We don’t mind since he’s rather handsome.”

The rest of her friends giggled at her words, their cheeks flushing like a girl in love which wasn’t entirely wrong because you knew even if they hadn’t fallen for your best friend yet, they would eventually. 

After all, it was inevitable since every girl you had seen encountering the great Oikawa Tooru always ended up falling head over heels for him. 

_‘Great, just great.’_ You sighed for the umpteenth time. _‘As if Tooru’s current fan club isn’t already a pain in the ass, now it’s gonna be a nightmare.’_

“Erm, Senpai.” You heard another girl, this time around she had brown hair, called for your attention, drawing you out of your thoughts. “W-What’s—the name—I mean…”

(E/C) eyes watched with slight amusement, waiting patiently as the girl who was a blushing mess struggled to get her question out. You had to hold in the urge to squeal at how cute the underclassman was with her redden cheeks and twiddling fingers in nervousness. 

A few seconds had passed and the girl was still a nervous wreck, her eyes not trained on her shoes instead of looking at you. Feeling sympathetic for her, you decided to be the kind upperclassman and helped her out. 

“There’s no reason to be scared, I won’t bite.” You laughed softly which chased away some of the girl’s nerves and she slowly lifted her head off the ground to look in you in the eyes. 

You smiled encouragingly which gave her the strength to gather enough courage to ask you what was on her mind. “Senpai, may we know what’s the name of your friend?”

You blinked your eyes a couple of time, not expecting that question at all. Nonetheless, you still replied to her. “Who? The black hair or the brown one?”

“The handsome one with brown hair!” The last girl in the group answered with a dazed smile while the other two nodded their heads in agreement. 

“Oh,” You deadpanned, mentally slapping yourself for not knowing better. You didn’t want to answer them but upon seeing their eager expressions, you would feel bad if you didn’t. Silently apologising to your team for the possibility of future practices being disrupted, you replied with a tight smile. 

“His name’s Oikawa Tooru, a third-year and the captain of the school volleyball boys’ team.”

Excited grins broke out on the first years’ faces as they thanked you with a slight bow before dashing off to probably tell their other female friends about this handsome third-year student that they talked to. 

You stared at the retreating backs of the girls until they round the corner and were out of sight, your shoulders drooping in despair. If it wasn’t for Iwaizumi dragging a half-dead Oikawa to remind you that lunch was ending in 15 minutes and you still had one more class to go to, you would have pulled your hair out in frustration and self-anger right there and then. 

You dragged your shoes across the floor and mumbled non-stop about your stupidity, rewarding you concerned looks from your best friends. Both captains made eye contact with each other, having a silent conversation on who should be the one to check up on you. 

Before they could come to a decision, a voice coming from behind them cut in and causing all three of you to turn around. “Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san, what are the two of you doing here on the first year's floor?”

You didn’t hear your name being called, likely that the person didn’t see you since you were blocked by both your friends’ larger frames. Nonetheless, curiosity got the better of you as to who it was since they seemed to know who Iwaizumi and Oikawa were. 

_‘Maybe a junior of theirs?’_ You wondered, poking your head out from behind Iwaizumi to try and get a glimpse of who it was. 

“Kindaichi-chan?!” Oikawa let out a shocked yelp, his eyes blinking a few times as though he was having a hard time believing his underclassman from junior high was standing before him. “What are you doing here?!”

“H-Hello, Oikawa-san.” The mysterious person now revealed as Kindaichi Yutaro gave the brunette a small wave, an awkward smile on his face. 

A giant grin immediately appeared on Oikawa’s face as he skipped over to the first year and threw an arm around his shoulder, brimming with joy at a familiar face. “Kindaichi-chan, it’s been so long! How’ve you been? Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming to Seijoh? Don’t you have my number?”

“Erm,” Kindaichi mumbled in slight discomfort at the close proximity of his senior. “I did text Iwaizumi-san since he was the one I ask for advice on which high school to enter after junior high.”

“How could you, Kindaichi-chan? I thought we had a close _senpai-kouhai_ relationship.” Oikawa pouted which earned a panic look from the turnip-haired boy who immediately began to apologise even though he didn’t even do anything wrong. 

“Stop harassing Kindaichi, Shittykawa! You’re scaring him!” Iwaizumi walked over and hit Oikawa on the head, causing the brunette to move away from Kindaichi as he clutched his head, letting out a pained cry. 

Kindaichi let out a sigh of relief that he didn’t realise he was holding it in all this while, his tense shoulders relaxing. Suddenly, he felt a firm grip onto his shoulder, causing them to tense up again as he turned his head slightly to face Iwaizumi who gave him a slight concern look. 

“Are you okay?” He asked in that gruff tone of his. “I apologise for that trash’s action.”

The poor boy could only nod his head mutely, feeling too intimidated by the volleyball player’s intense stare aimed at him to reply verbally. You couldn’t help giggling at the sight of Kindaichi shaking like a leaf being surrounded by two of his upperclassmen who were a bit too much for the poor soul to handle. 

Feeling sorry for the first year, you came to his rescue. 

“Now, now Hajime, you’re the one whose scaring Kindaichi-kun now.” You chuckled, pulling said person away from Kindaichi to give him some breathing room before turning to focus on the first year. 

“Kindaichi-kun, it’s seeing you again.” You clapped your hands in glee. “Are you going to join the volleyball team?”

The poor sap was distracted by your bright smile that reached the corners of your eyes that he almost missed your question by a hairbreadth. 

“Y-Yes, (L/N)-senpai!” Kindaichi yelped, his cheeks turning bright red in the presence of his old manager from his junior high volleyball team before remembering his manners and bowing 90-degree in greeting. “It’s nice seeing you too!”

You burst out into laughter at how nothing had changed even after two years – Kindaichi still being as formal as ever around you. 

“Kindaichi-kun, how many times I’ve told you to drop the word ‘senpai’ when using my name! You’re making me feel old even before I turn old!” You patted the first year on the back a few times, hard enough to cause the male to stumble forward slightly, his arms flailing to maintain his balance. 

Oikawa who had recovered from his near-death experience spoke joined the conversation and fortunately for Kindaichi, he managed a respectable distance between them this time around. 

“So, Kindaichi-chan,” The setter began with both hands on his hip. “Are you the only one from Kitagawa or did anyone from our old volleyball team follow you here as well?”

You narrowed your eyes in suspicious when you saw Oikawa sporting the fake smile that he always does whenever he was planning something and you knew just exactly what the setter was up to. 

However, Kindaichi didn’t get the memo and innocently answered the brunette. “Oh, there’s only me and Kunimi. Everyone else went to different high schools.”

Iwaizumi must have caught on as well because he frowned at his friend in warning. “Oikawa, I suggest you stop whatever you’re planning to do.”

“Now, now, Iwa-chan, I’m not planning to do anything.” Oikawa waved away the ace’s concern, that cunning grin still in place. “I’m simply just curious since after all our school did invite him to join our team.”

Kindaichi flinched at the hostility in Oikawa’s voice, his eyes jumping back and forth between him and Iwaizumi. 

The brown-haired setter focused on Kindaichi once more, the resentment from before disappearing although his eyes said otherwise. “Where was I? Right, so Kindaichi-chan, what about Tobio-chan?”

The first year swallowed the fear stuck at in his throat, the hairs on the back of his neck rising as his flight-or-fight instinct screaming for him to book it. However, he didn’t want to chance the wrath of his upperclassman’s wrath so he forced himself to stammer out a reply. 

“L-Last I heard, Kageayam wanted to get into Shiratorizawa to join their volleyball team but failed his entrance exam and opted for Karasuno because he heard stories about the volleyball infamous scary coach who was apparently very good in what he does.”

As Oikawa contemplated his answer, Kindaichi was internally praying to any deity out there listening to him to save him. His answer came in the form of the warning bell ringing, informing the students to return to their classrooms as there were five more minutes before lunch period ended. 

Yet, the first year was frozen in place, too afraid to move a single step even that was he desperately wanted to do. Luckily for him, you caught on pretty quickly and came to his rescue. 

Pushing your best friend aside, you handed a copy of the poster to your underclassman who accepted with a shaky hand. However, curiosity won over his nerves and was soon reading the contents on it with interest. 

At the same time, you began to explain what it was about. “Kindaichi-kun, if you’re interested in continuing volleyball in high school, we’ll be having try-outs this coming Friday. We’re also having a match amongst the members tomorrow after school. So, do drop by with Kunimi-kun to check it out.”

Kindaichi nodded and promised with a small smile that he would be there with Kunimi before bidding you farewell and making his way back to his class. You waved in return and turned to your best friends who were bickering like kids – although it translated to Iwaizumi shouting all sort of profanities at Oikawa who was cowering in fear – rewarding them bewildered looks from the few first years still loitering around in the hallway. 

Facepalming, you let out a sigh, dragging your hand down your face while muttering beneath your breath about how it was a miracle you hadn’t gotten a single strand of white hair in your entire 18 years of existence on this earth in having to deal with these idiotic friends of yours. 

“Come on now, the bell’s about to ring. We need to get back to class or else we’ll be late and I don’t wanna get into trouble when it’s not clearly my fault.” You muttered, walking past your friends. 

“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’ll be Iwa-chan!” Oikawa piped up, ignoring the defensive “What?!” coming from the said person beside him. “Everyone knows that Oikawa is always the innocent one.”

“The only ones who think that are your fangirls who have blinded by your good looks to see your shitty personality!” Iwaizumi argued, irk marks appearing on his forehead. 

“Mean! Iwa-chan’s so mean!” Oikawa cried before turning to you for help. “(Name)-chan, protect me from this aggressive brute!”

“Nope!” You popped the “p” in glee, your lips stretching into a wide grin. “You’re on your own for this one, Tooru!”

The setter let out a disbelief gasp, not expecting you to betray him at all. “But Iwa-chan’ll kill me! Are you that cruel to leave your best friend on the verge of death?!”

“Well, you aren’t dead yet so technically, I’m not being cruel.” You replied cheerfully before stepping aside to reveal a smirking Iwaizumi rolling his sleeves up to the crooks of his elbows. “Have fun, you two! I’ll see you after school!”

“Oh, I’ll definitely enjoy myself.” Iwaizumi cackled darkly, cracking his knuckles as he prepared to try out his new punching bag. 

On the other hand, Oikawa looked the opposite with the despair written all over his face as he reached a hand towards you but was grabbed at the wrist by his perpetrator who held on tightly. “(Name)-chan! Don’t leave me to die!”

Without turning back, you wiggled your fingers over your shoulder in fare before making your merry way back to your class – ignoring the cries echoing down the school hallway, a delighted melody to your ears. 

You were usually known as the peaceful one amongst your trio of friendship, most of the times playing as the mediator whenever the other two go head-to-head against each other. However, there’s a sadistic side to you too which sometimes couldn’t help wanting to come out and play, this being one of them.

* * *

**Day 3**

On the morning of the annual club activities festival held at Seijoh, you were brimming with energy as you turned your alarm off and jumped out of bed with a bright smile. 

(E/C) eyes were glimmering with excitement as you bid farewell to your mother and left the house, the front door swinging shut after you. Humming a cheerful melody, there was a skip in each step as you made your down the street to meet up with Iwaizumi and Oikawa at the designated spot. 

Upon arriving, the duo was already there and seemed to be in a serious discussion with what you guessed was probably the team line-ups for today’s afternoon match. Normally, you would just quietly walk up to them and wait for them to finish up before making your presence known. 

Though you were too eager today and didn’t have the patience to wait. So, with both your hands cupped around your mouth, you called out to your best friends. “Hajime! Tooru!”

Your sudden loud voice on the quiet street before startled them both, causing them to jump slightly as their heads jerked up and swivelled around to find the source. When their gaze landed on your figure, you waved an arm – a wide grin on your face. 

You closed the remaining distance as you ran up to them and came to a stop in front of the taller males, panting slightly. “Morning, my fellow partners! Are you ready to conquer whatever today may bring us?”

“Yes!” Oikawa saluted with a serious face before it gave way to giggles, your energy feeding off him too. 

You dissolved into giggles as well, your eyes shining with unshed tears from how hard you were laughing. Both of your laughter echoing down the silent street as the three of you made your way to school. 

Shaking his head, Iwaizumu wore a look of amusement. “What’s gotten you so hype up this morning, (Name)?”

“Yea!” Oikawa nodded his head in agreement, the corners of his lips quirked up into a fond smile at the sight of his happy friend. “Is there something big happening today?”

You managed to pull yourself together and skipped a few steps ahead before spinning around so that you were facing them as you continued walking backwards, the smile on your face still going strong. 

“Have you forgotten? Today’s the day of the match!” You lifted your arm and swung it downwards, mimicking a volleyball player spiking the ball. 

Both Oikawa and Iwaizumi exchanged amused chuckles at your imitation, finding it adorable. 

“How can we forget since you kept reminding us to sleep early last night in preparation for the match today?” Your black-haired friend asked for both him and Oikawa since they were curious to know what had gotten you so hyped. 

“Do I need a reason to do that? What if I’m just doing it from the goodness of my heart?” You stuck your tongue out in retaliation which earned an eye roll from Iwaizumi who mumbled a sarcastic “Sure, you are.”. 

(E/C) eyes narrowed into a glare aimed at the ungrateful male who responded in the same manner while Oikawa let out a light chuckle at his friends’ childish behaviour. The rest of the journey to school was a peaceful and uneventful one, the three of you enveloped in comfortable silence. 

Since morning practice was cancelled today so that the team could sleep in and get more rest for the match this afternoon, several students were already streaming slowly into school – some coming as a group, their laughter could be heard from a distance while those who were alone were enjoying their music as other noises were blocked out by the headphones they were wearing. 

When your feet were a few inches away from school grounds, you came to a sudden halt and nearly causing the two males to walk right into you. 

“(Name)-chan, don’t just stop out of nowhere,” Oikawa grumbled, adjusting his school bag into a more comfortable position for his shoulder. “Iwa-chan and I are strong enough to send you flying off your feet if we haven’t stopped in time.”

“Oi, don’t drag me in.” Iwaizumi frowned and nudged his elbow into the brunette’s side, earning him an irritated glare in return. 

Before a fight could break out between the two of them, you spoke up, causing the two to cease and focused on you. “You know this is our last year in high school which means this is the last time all three of us can play volleyball together before we go our separate ways when we enter university.” 

There was a pause of silence as neither Iwaizumi nor Oikawa said anything, knowing that you weren’t done. Another beat of silence passed before you continued. “That’s why I’m eager for today’s match even if it isn’t official because I want the two of you to play as many matches as you can before we graduate.”

A spring breeze danced through the cherry blossoms near the school entrance, scattering pink petals that fluttered to the ground. Oikawa’s eyes widened as your face broke out into a bright smile, (e/c) eyes sparkling with wonderment and fondness as you tugged a piece of (h/c) hair that came loose from the wind behind your ear. 

His heart skipped a beat at your next words. “I want to commit the memory of both of you playing volleyball so that I can be reminded of the reason why I fell in love with the sports whenever I think back to it.”

Both males were rendered speechless by your words, taken aback by the passion heard clear as day in your voice. They knew that you loved volleyball like both of them, but they weren’t aware of the depth of your love for the sports. 

After hearing that, how could they say no to your wish? 

Iwaizumi was the first to respond as he walked up to you, ruffling your hair fondly as he grinned. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Of course, Oikawa and I will continue to play volleyball and this time around, we’ll beat Ushiwaka’s ass and head for nationals. Am I right, Oikawa?”

“H-Huh?” The setter blinked his eyes and shook his head to get rid of his thoughts, a confident grin appearing on his face to hide how affected he was by your words. “Of course we will! But first, we gotta play in this match and recruit talented first years so that our team will become stronger.”

The dazed look that Oikawa was sporting earlier on went unnoticed by you, curiosity filling you at what your friend could possibly think about. You filed that piece of information away, for now, making a mental note to examine it when you were alone. 

For now, you focused on what was happening before you – the three of you exchanged smiles that reached the corners of your eyes before crossing the school gate with the same goal in mind. 

As all of you headed to class, Oikawa’s mind was occupied by what happened earlier on – the latter puzzling over his stomach doing somersaults earlier on at your words, not being able to place a finger on what he felt which he would later come to realise for what it was. 


	4. New Members

**Chapter 3 - New Members**

**April**

The weather today was warm enough to be outside without having to wear an outer layer. The sky was a beautiful shade of sky blue with a few clouds drifting lazily when the occasional spring breeze blew by as the sun bathed the earth in a warm glow. 

You, along with everyone else, had decided to move the usual lunch location in the classroom to the school rooftop so that everyone could enjoy the nice weather. 

Conversations were lively and filled with laughter and joy as Oikawa attempted to steal Iwaizumi’s lunch which earned the brown-haired male a good smacking to the head, causing Hanamaki and Matsukawa to burst out laughing boisterously. 

You couldn’t help giggling along to your best friend’s misery as he gazed at Iwaizumi with pleading eyes with the bottom of his lips stuck out in a pout, rubbing the sore part of his head. 

“Come on Iwa-chan! Just one slice will do!” Oikawa whined and made grabby hands at his vice-captain’s lunch box. “Aunty Iwaizumi always makes the best _tamago_!”

“No,” came the curt reply as Iwaizumi held his lunch high in the air, away from the other male and glared at him with narrowed eyes. “Eat your own goddamn lunch!”

With that, he ignored the way how Oikawa’s shoulders drooped in sadness and turned back to enjoying his own lunch. 

“Try your luck next time,” Hanamaki smirked and patted his captain’s back in sympathy which didn’t help at all as said person sank lower into his depression. 

Matsukawa just let out another chuckle before turning to finish his own lunch as well. While the rest of your friends were enjoying their lunches and talking amongst themselves, you noticed Oikawa’s lunch was untouched as he played around with his food – chocolate orbs staring into the distance. 

You didn’t like the way how sadness clung onto your friend and how it slightly dampened the happy mood you had earlier on. Frowning, you thought of how you could help Oikawa when an idea struck you. 

Plastering on an innocent smile to your face, you turned towards Iwaizumi with a tap on his shoulder to gain his attention. 

“Hajime~!” You called out in a singsong voice, (e/c) eyes sparkling with mischief which went unnoticed by said person. 

His conversations with Hanamaki and Matsukawa ceased as all three pairs of eyes turned towards you, even you could see from the corner of your eyes how Oikawa stopped sulking and perked up attentively. 

“What?” Your best friend asked, a brow raised in curiosity. 

Still maintaining that smile, you pointed to the egg sitting Iwaizumi’s lunch box like golds in a treasure box with your chopsticks. “Can I have a slice of Aunty Iwaizumi’s famous _tamago_ , please?”

The corners of his lips quirked up into a small smile as he picked up a slice and placed it into your own lunch box. “Anything for you, (Name).”

(E/C) eyes beamed with delight at the sight of the egg at though it was some sort of rare gem before glancing up with a bright grin. “Thank you, Hajime!”

“What?!” Oikawa’s jaw dropped open in disbelief, rounded eyes jumping back and forth between his two best friends. 

“Looks like Iwaizumi clearly has a favourite amongst his best friends,” Matsukawa smirked as Hanamaki choked on a piece of meat and hacking his lungs out at the hilarity of the situation. 

Iwaizumi gave a shrug and returned to eating his meal in peace, not caring that he probably just broke his volleyball partner’s heart into a million tiny pieces that not even glue could make it whole again. 

“Iwa-chan! That’s so unfair!” Oikawa cried crocodile tears for the second time in ten minutes and gestured in your general direction. “How come (Name)-chan gets a slice but not me?!”

“That’s because she asks nicely instead of trying to steal it from me.” Iwaizumi answered with a smirk, pointing his chopsticks at the setter to drive his point home. “So, it’s no one’s fault but yours.”

“I hate you all so much,” Oikawa muttered depressingly as he hugged his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs, rocking himself back and forth in a hopeless attempt to comfort himself. 

Cue another round of laughter coming from Hanamaki and Matsukawa while smugness was written all over Iwaizumi’s face. 

There was a mock pout on your lips as you picked up the slice of egg that your black-haired friend gave to you and dangled it in front of Oikawa’s face. “Is this how you thank someone for helping you out?”

It was the rest of your friends' turn for their jaws to drop wide open in disbelief as Oikawa perked up with happiness, chocolate orbs shining at the sight of the egg slice – looking like an excited puppy who was given its favourite treat, its tail wagging back and forth in joy. 

“(Name)-chan! You’re the best!” Oikawa squealed in delight as he brought up his lunch box, the smile on his face growing impossibly wider when you placed the sliced egg in it. 

“Anything for you, Tooru.” You smiled and watched with fondness as your best friend gobbled up the egg, moaning as the flavour danced on his tongue. 

Meanwhile, Iwaizumi had regained from his shock and immediately turned to you with a frown. “(Name), what’s the meaning of this?”

“Whatever do you mean?” You replied innocently and resumed eating your lunch, completely unfazed by the pair of eyes glowering at you. “I was simply sharing my food with a friend. Haven’t you heard that sharing is caring?”

Hanamaki and Matsukawa watched with bated breaths, wondering what the ace would do. Meanwhile, Oikawa was too happy enjoying his lunch to pay attention to what was going on around him. 

To no one’s surprise, Iwaizumi simply let out a defeated sigh and wordlessly placed a new slice of egg into your lunch box before ignoring his friends in favour of finishing his lunch. 

You couldn’t help the smug feeling as you picked up the egg with a smirk and bit into it with satisfaction. Iwaizumi’s mother’s cooking was really the best after all and you couldn’t argue with that fact. 

Your two other friends grinned in pride at what you did before focusing on finishing their lunches as well. Once again, Oikawa was still too busy to give any single care of what was going on. 

The rest of lunch period passed by uneventfully and before any of you noticed, the bell rang and it was time to head to class to continue the remaining lessons for the day. 

* * *

“Bow before your awesome captain!” 

Your head lifted up from where you had been jotting down in your notebook, everyone else who was in the gym doing the same as they stopped what they were doing and shifted their attention the gym entrance where Oikawa’s loud and obvious voice had come from. 

Smugness was written all over the setter’s face, his lips stretched into a wide smirk as chocolate orbs shone with anticipation for the warm welcome he expected to receive from his team. 

However, all Oikawa got was blank stares which caused their captain’s confidence to falter, the smirk on his face dropping. Awkward silence swept the gym as no one said anything, simply staring unblinkingly at the lone figure by the entrance who was starting to feel uncomfortable under their stares. 

By now, your best friend was squirming in discomfort, his eyes trained to the soles of his shoes and you could tell without even having to ask that he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. 

The corners of your lips quirked up into a gleeful smirk, taking joy at the fact that his usual flippant attitude was nowhere to be seen. _‘Serves Tooru right. He should know better.’_

After what felt like an eternity but only a few minutes, you decided to take pity on Oikawa and saved what was left of his dignity. 

“Alright, that’s enough staring for one day. Get back to warm-ups, practice’s about to start soon!” You barked out, fixing the team with a stern glare as though daring them to disobey your orders. 

Immediately, the tension broke as the volleyball members made for a mad scramble and returned to what they were doing before Oikawa’s interruption, some nearly tripping over their own feet in the quick haste. 

After all, nobody wanted to incur your wrath since they knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of your anger. This was saying a lot considering their vice-captain became a literal beast when he was angry. 

They couldn’t help but shiver slightly at the thought of it. 

Oikawa, who didn’t even realize was holding his breath, let out a sigh before sending your way a thankful smile to which you rolled your eyes in return, but there was no hard feeling behind the gesture. 

“Where’s everyone else?” You asked the brunette, who had made his way over to where you were, without glancing up from your notebook. 

Oikawa tried to take a peek at what you were writing, curiosity getting the best of him as he replied. “Makki and Mattsun are on cleaning duty and Iwa-chan’s staying behind to make sure they are actually cleaning instead of playing around like they did last time and ended up being late for practice.”

“Why am I not surprise?” You snorted and snapped your notebook shut so that Oikawa wouldn’t be able to see the contents inside which earned you a pout from said person. 

You fixed him a blank stare in return. “Don’t even think about it, Tooru.”

“But (Name)-chan~!” Your brown-haired friend whined, dragging out your name as he gave you the puppy eyes. 

“No.” You deadpanned before shooing him off to do his warm-ups. “Stop bothering me and go warm-up, practice’s about to begin.”

Instead of cooperating, Oikawa refused to budge no matter how hard you tried pushing his body to move. 

“Stop. Resisting. Me.” You were panting because trying to move someone who was all muscles and at least twice your weight was trying to move a mountain. In the end, you gave up and growled out in both frustration and irritation. 

“Oikawa Tooru!” The brunette stiffened at your use of his full name, knowing he was in deep trouble. “If you don’t get moving, I’m going to kick your ass!” 

Oikawa let out a girly (if anyone asked, he would deny it with his whole being) shriek and finally moved his ass, lest you really carried out your threat. “(N-Name)-chan, don’t! I’m going!” 

The scowl remained on your face and didn’t disappear until the setter got into gear, joining the rest of his teammates in warming up for practice. You nodded once in satisfaction and turned your attention onto Mizoguchi who was calling for you. 

With that, warm up continued smoothly with no more interruption or at least you thought that was the case until Iwaizumi burst through the gym covered in chalk dust with Hanamaki and Matsukawa trailing behind him, laughing their asses off and ignoring the glower directed at them. 

You simply shook your head and let out a hopeless sigh as Iwaizumi shouted at his friends to stop making fun of him or he was going to use their heads as volleyballs. Sometimes, you couldn’t help but wonder why were you friends with such people who acted like five-year-old kids instead of the 18-year-old teenagers they were supposed to be. 

**Time skipped**

A beautiful blend of purple, pink and orange streaked across the evening sky, the sun hanging low over the horizon with the first few stars dotting the wide expanse. A loud shrill of whistleblowing reverberated throughout the vast gym, bringing today’s practice to an end as the players stopped what they were doing and began to pack up. 

Once all the equipment had been placed back in the storage room, everyone settled down in front of the stage where their coaches and manager were located. Idle chitchats quietened down as all eyes turned to focus on Nobuteru who then addressed the team, kind eyes gazing at his kids with a hint of pride. 

“First of all, good job on this Wednesday match. Each of you played your 120% as though you were in an actual match and due to that, we’ve quite several interested people signing up for try-out because they felt your passion for volleyball from the bottom of their hearts.”

(E/C) softened with fondness as you watched how each of your teammates’ faces lit up like the Fourth of July, beaming with happiness with bright grins that reached their eyes which glimmered with pride at their head coach’s words. 

The second years were smiling widely at one another and the corners of your eyes crinkled with amusement but the reactions which made your blood sang with pride were the third years who were also your closest friends. 

Hanamaki and Matsukawa exchanged high-fives with each other, their smiles stretched so wide you were afraid their cheeks would split. Meanwhile, you watched the way how your best friends’ facial expression changed from attentive to glee – the way how Iwaizumi was puffing his chest slightly in smugness as he fist-bumped with Oikawa whose smile was reaching the corners of his eyes without its usual hint of malice. 

You couldn’t help the little pleased sigh escaping your lips upon seeing how happy your teammates were, especially knowing how much volleyball meant to them in their own special ways. 

If anyone pointed out how you currently resembled mother hen gazing proudly at its chicks, you weren’t going to deny that fact at all because that was exactly how you felt towards your team. 

“Well, we won’t have been successful if not for our talented manager, (Name)-chan who worked hard to design the amazing poster which attracted people’s attention to our match!” Oikawa chirped cheerfully which brought you out of your reverie. 

You blinked in surprise at the wide grin aimed at you, chocolate orbs glimmering with pride. The rest of the team chorused their own agreements with loud enthusiasm and you could feel your cheeks heating up, no doubt sporting two bright pink spots. 

“I-I didn’t even do anything at all!” You protested, feeling flustered with all the attention suddenly on you. 

“Out of all times, now is the one where you choose to be humble when people praise you for your efforts?” Iwaizumi smirked with arms crossed over his broad chest. 

“Hajime, shut up!” You hissed at your best friend, your cheeks still burning a bright red but for a completely different reason from before. 

Chuckling fondly, Nobuteru quickly stepped in lest an actual fight broke out between the team’s manager and vice-captain. “Alright, you two, that’s enough. There’re still other matters to be discussed and we’ll be here all night if both of you don’t stop.”

“Sorry.” The two of you immediately muttered an apology and settled down once more in fuming silence, but not before sending one last glare to each other. Oikawa, being the good friend he was, snickered at the fact both of his friends got told off by their coach which earned him a punch the shoulder and a smack to the back of his head from both you and Iwaizumi respectively. 

Ignoring the cry of pain coming from the brown-haired setter, the other coach of Seijoh’s volleyball team cleared his throat to gain the attention of his team so he could get on with the next part of the announcement. 

When all eyes were on him again, Mizoguchi began speaking. “What I’m about to say next will be important, so make sure all of you pay attention and take note. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes!” Everyone answered, minus the three most important people of the team, answered attentively. 

Letting out a frustrated growl, Mizoguchi narrowed his eyes at the three of you who immediately froze upon feeling the stern glare boring into their souls and repeated himself. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-Yes!” Iwaizumi and Oikawa saluted their coach while you sheepishly glanced away, finding the floor very interesting all of a sudden. 

Satisfied that he had gotten everyone’s full attention this time around, the blond-haired coach turned his focus onto the team once more. “Tomorrow will be the try-out which means we’ll be having newcomers joining in on our practice. So, I expect all of you to be on your best behaviours lest we tarnish our reputation. Got it?”

Before anyone could state their agreement, Oikawa spoke up with a mock hurt whine. “Sensei, I’m hurt! How can you say such things about your team when we are practically angels?”

The atmosphere fell into dead silence as everyone stared at the brunette with blank expressions and for the first time since Oikawa became the team captain, they began to regret their choice of giving him the title of captaincy. 

“Sensei, please ignore Shittykawa and continue on.” Iwaizumi immediately stepped in before Oikawa, whose mouth was already opened, could say another word. 

Mizoguchi nodded his head once in thanks towards the black-haired ace who gave a nod in return before grabbing Oikawa by the ear and tugging him down till they were on eye level, reprimanding the brunette to shut up for once in his entire life with a scowl. 

If looks could kill, Oikawa would have been dead by now. 

Shaking your head, you let out an exasperated sigh and silently questioned your choice of friendships while Mizoguchi went on with the agenda for tomorrow’s after school practice before dismissing everyone once he was done. 

While the boys made their way towards the club room changed back into their school uniforms, you stayed back at the gym to see both the coaches before heading to the girls’ locker room to do the same. 

Foregoing your school tie, you took one last glance in the mirror to ensure you had properly fastened up your uniform, minus the collar button which was left open. Once you were satisfied with the outcome, you shut the locker door and picked up your school bag from the wooden bench, slinging it over your right shoulder. 

(E/C) orbs swept the room once more to make sure none of your belongings was left behind before exiting the locker room, turning the lights off on your way out. The moment you stepped foot outside, a shiver crawled up your spine and you let out a sneeze at the sudden chill. 

“Argh, I forgot how cold nights can really get even though it’s spring.” You sniffled and rubbed your now pink nose. 

As another shudder from the cold wrecked through your body, you quickly unzipped your school bag to look for your tracksuit jacket only to remember you had left it at home since it was laundry day, thinking that today was warm enough that you didn’t need to wear it during practice. 

You let out a frustrated groan at your own stupidity which soon gave way to another sneeze. Muttering curses beneath your breath, you wrapped both arms around yourself and rubbed your hands up and down on the sides of your arms in an attempt to produce what little heat it could provide. 

Your breaths escaped your lips in white puffs as you made your way towards the entrance gate where you knew both your best friends were waiting for you before heading home together. Sure enough, you could see two silhouettes in the distance as you near your destination. 

“(Name)-chan!” Oikawa called out your name cheerfully, a bright smile breaking out on his face when you came to a stop in front of them. “What took you so long? Iwa-chan and I’ve been waiting here for quite a while already.”

Next to the brunette, Iwaizumi grunted in agreement and stuffed his hands deeper into his track pants’ pockets to keep warm against the night chill. 

“S-Sorry,” You stuttered as a shiver wrecked through your body. 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi exchanged concerned frowns with one another at the sight of their best friend trembling in the cold, blowing hot breaths onto her hands in hopes of warming up her numb fingers. 

Amongst the three of them, you were the least likely to be forgetful considering they had to be reminded of things by you plenty of times. So, it was a puzzlement to them that you had forgotten your jacket, knowing how the temperature at night during spring could drop as low as to a single digit. 

“Achoo!” You sneezed and Oikawa was the first to react by removing his own jacket, quickly draping it over your shoulders. 

“(Name)-chan! Where’s your jacket?! You’re gonna catch a cold!” Your brown-haired friend scolded gently although the tint of worry could be heard his voice. 

Immediately, the cold that had clung to your body like a second skin dissipated and in its place was a warmth that engulfed your whole being. You found yourself letting out a pleased sigh as you sank deeper into the jacket twice your size. 

“I really needed that. So thanks, Tooru.” You glanced up at the brunette with a small smile, your cheeks painted light pink, not from the cold this time but from the care, the male had shown you. 

For once in his lifetime, Oikawa dropped the childish personality he always carried around himself as he fretted around you like a worried mother hen by helping you 

“Who knew our precious manager can be so forgetful at times too? It’s so unlike you!” The setter lightly teased, although it looked like the worrisome glint in his eyes weren’t going away anytime soon. 

Smiling sheepishly, you gave a helpless shrug and remained still as Oikawa adjusted his jacket around until you were wearing it properly instead of looking like you were being swallowed up by the oversize cloth. 

“There we go! All nice and warm!” The male chirped pleasingly as he zipped up the jacket with a satisfied smile. 

Giggling, you thanked your friend. “What would I do without you, Tooru?”

“Probably missing out on this handsome face!” Oikawa placed both hands on his hips and puffed out his chest like a freaking alpha wolf, a cocky grin on his face.

“And,” You dragged out the word with a roll of your eyes, “moment ruined.”

The effect was immediate as the brunette lost the arrogance edge. His shoulders drooped and his bottom lips stuck out into a pout, chocolate orbs wet with unshed tears. “Mean! (Name)-chan’s so mean!”

Despite calling you mean, the taller male threw himself onto you and proceeded to bury his face in your chest, his hands clutching tightly onto the soft material of his jacket. You stumbled backwards a bit due to the unexpected weight but managed to regain your balance before you managed to fall onto your ass. 

(E/C) eyes twitched slightly in annoyance, yet you weren’t outright angry at your friend’s action knowing that he was just being a big baby as usual. Instead of ignoring Oikawa whenever he acted like this, you decided to indulge in his whims for once. 

“There, there.” You cooed in fondness, running nimble fingers through those luscious brown locks. “You know I was only just joking with you.”

Oikawa played along and made a rumbling sound at the back of his throat, sounding almost like a purr. You let out a giggle at the delighted sigh coming from the brunette as your nails scratched at his scalp lightly, finding the whole thing absolutely endearing. 

Your eyes were a soft (e/c), glancing down at the boy in your embrace with pure adoration and love. 

You were relishing in the feeling of having Oikawa in your arms that you had completely forgotten about a third presence who had been watching the whole exchange with crossed arms and irk marks on his forehead. 

So when said person cleared his throat loudly, it gave you quite a scared. Startled, you immediately pushed the oblivious setter away who blinked his eyes in confusion at what just happened while (e/c) orbs popped wide open, a red flush settling across your face. 

“I-It’s not what you think!” You blurted and held your hands up in surrender as though you were caught red-handed for doing something illegal. 

“I didn’t even say anything.” Iwaizumi was smirking in amusement, looking smug as hell. “Although, I do wonder what you were thinking.”

“I-I…” You stuttered, trying to find words that were currently failing you. 

“You?” Your dark-haired friend prompted, raising a brow in question. 

You puffed your cheeks up in aggravation and glared at Iwaizumi who was taking pleasure in teasing you to his content. Opening your mouth, you retaliated with a witty comeback. 

“Shut up,” You grumbled. 

The Seijoh ace let out a snort at your reply. “Sure. Whatever floats your boat.”

You stuck out your tongue and gave the taller male the stink eye before turning on your heels and stalking off in the direction of home, cursing Iwaizumi to hell and back. Iwaizumi simply let out a chuckle, having way too much fun considering how easy of a target you made yourself to be. 

Meanwhile, Oikawa watched the whole thing in befuddlement – dark-brown orbs gazing back and forth between his two best friends, trying to make sense of their conversation. This wasn’t the first time where he wasn’t able to understand what the two of you were talking about and he didn’t like it. 

Not one bit at all. 

His gut feeling was telling him that they knew something which he didn’t and the one thing that Oikawa hated the most was being kept in the dark regarding something, especially so if it was coming from two of the closest people in his life. 

He was going to get to the bottom of whatever this was if it was the last thing he does.

“Ne, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa turned to his childhood friend, his voice full of innocence although the same couldn’t be said for the sharp look in his eyes. “What’s up with you and (Name)-chan?”

Iwaizumi, still in a playful mood, missed the brunette’s underlying motive as he responded with a chortle. “It’s nothing. (Name)’s just embarrassed that she was caught off guard.”

The corners of Oikawa’s lisps curled into a frown at his vice-captain’s answer, his brows furrowing. Before he could interrogate the other male further, he spoke up. 

“We should get going and catch up to (Name).” Iwaizumi glanced down at his handphone, the time reading 10 pm. “It’s kinda late for a girl to walk home on her own.”

His needs for answers faded and was replaced by concern for his (h/c)-haired friend, knowing that Iwaizumi had a point. He could always get his hands on that information from his friends another day, for now, there were other more pressing matters. 

Oikawa hiked his schoolbag onto his shoulder, adjusting the straps so that they were rested in a comfortable position. “Let’s go then.”

Iwaizumi nodded his head and together, both of them quickened their pace and caught up to their female friend in no time at all. 

* * *

The sounds of shoes squeaking against polished wood floorings and volleyballs bouncing off the walls told the two figures currently approaching the gym that Aobajousai Boys’ Volleyball Team were currently having their afternoon practice. 

“This is it, isn’t it?” The taller one between them nervously asked. “What if I don’t make it onto the team?”

The said person with dark hair glanced at his friend with a slight raise of his brow. “What are you worried about? You’ve been playing volleyball for the last three years. If someone of your calibre is unable to make the team, then the current members must be monsters.”

“Well…if you put it that way.” Kindaichi scratched his head, although there was still a hint of uncertainty reflected in those dark eyes. 

Kunimi rolled his eyes at his friend’s hesitance. “You haven’t even gone through try-out and you’re already concern about your placement on the team. Just play as you usually do and you’ll be fine.”

Without waiting for the other male’s reply, Kunimi walked ahead, giving his friend of three years a firm pat on the back by way of a silent encouragement as he walked passed him. 

Closing his eyes, Kindaichi took in a deep breath to calm his nerves and when he opened his eyes again, they were gone and replaced with confidence. Straightening his back, the first year joined the other who was waiting patiently for him at the gym entrance. 

With each of their hands on both side of the doors, they pushed it opened and entered the gym where their lives for the next three years at Seijoh High awaited for them. 

**Time skipped**

You were sitting on the floor with your back hunched over your notebook, jotting down individual training regimen for each member on areas to work on when the sound of the gym doors scraping open disrupted the soothing sounds of training as your background music. 

Lifting your head up, you glanced over to the entrance where you noticed two figures were standing in a 90-degree bow. (E/C) orbs squinted against the bright fluorescent lights to get a better look at their faces as they straightened themselves once more. 

A smile was quick to appear on your face when you recognised who they were. Scrambling to your feet, you approached your underclassmen with a bright grin – your notebook laying abandoned and forgotten on the floor. 

“Kindaichi-kun!” You called out to the first year with a big wave. “What are you doing here?”

Said person perked up when he heard his name being called and glanced around the gym until his gaze landed on your approaching figure. His lips quirked into a small smile as he returned your greeting with a slight bow of his head. 

“(Name)-senpai, it’s great to see you again. I’m here for the volleyball try-out.” He explained his appearance at the gym when his eyes lit up with remembrance. 

You watched with a tilt of your head as Kindaichi took a step back to reveal another familiar face from your junior high school. “I brought Kunimi along with me for both the match and try-out like you asked me to the other day.”

“Hello, (Name)-senpai.” The dark-haired first year showed a smile that was barely there, but it was more than enough for you considering he always wore an indifferent expression. 

Giggling at how cute your juniors were, you couldn’t resist the temptation to ruffle their hair and gave in to the urge – earning an annoyed look from Kunimi and a light blush from Kindaichi. 

“It’s a pleasure to see both of you again, especially you Kunimi-kun!” You chuckled. “How have you been?”

As Kunimi smoothed out his hair, Kindaichi left his hair be which was in a mess due to your ministrations and replied. “I’ve been doing good, senpai! How about you?”

Before you could even get the first word out, the three of you were interrupted by Oikawa with Iwaizumi trailing behind him. 

“Kindaichi-chan, I see you’ve brought another favourite junior of mine with you!” 

You snickered at the groan that Kunimi let out before turning to face the third year with a strained smile while Kindaichi immediately stiffened, addressing your best friends. “H-Hello, Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san.”

While Iwaizumi returned his greeting with a simple nod, Oikawa bounced up to his underclassmen and forgoing all personal space again as he threw both arms around their shoulders. 

“Are you here to see how awesome your senpai is at volleyball?” His eyes jumping back and forth between the first years, the corners of his lips stretched into a wide grin. 

“Erm,” Kindaichi helplessly answered and turned to you with desperate eyes, silently screaming for you to save him whereas Kunimi tried to push Oikawa’s arm off him but with no luck whatsoever. 

Luckily for both of them, Iwaizumi came to the rescue – twice for Kindaichi – via grabbing the volleyball player by his right ear and pulling him away from them. Scowling at his co-captain, he threatened to chop off his head. “Shittykawa, stop being such a nuisance to others!”

“But Iwa-chan! I’m just happy to see them!” Oikawa whined, only to scream in pain when Iwaizumi increased the pressure of his hold on his ear. “Ouch! Stop pinching my ear so hard! It hurts like shit!”

“Good!” The ace hissed. 

Rolling your eyes, you left Oikawa to Iwaizumi and herded the boys away from the scene happening in front of them. “Alright, move along now.”

Kindaichi blinked but followed after you without questioning while Kunimi casually commented. “I see nothing has changed even after all these years.”

“Nope.” You popped the “p” as you led them towards where the coaches were and introduced your underclassmen to them. 

“Nobu-sensei and Mizoguchi-sensei, this is Kindaichi Yutaro and Kunimi Akira.” You gestured to the two first years respectively. “They’re here for the try-out.”

You watched with a fond smile as both boys gave a polite bow in greeting. The older coach gave an acknowledging nod in return, his mouth stretched into a small smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet two of my best players’ juniors. I’ve heard so much about both of you and I look forward to seeing your play during try-out. I wish you the best.”

You watched in amusement as Kindaichi’s face became paler with each word coming from Nobuteru, looking much like a ghost. You only made things worst when you delivered the final blow with your own words of advice. 

Patting the black-haired male on the back, you grinned widely as (e/c) orbs gleamed with mirth. “You’ll be fine, Kindaichi-kun! You’re quite the exceptional player, even back in Kitagawa. So, go out there and do your very best!”

At this point, the poor first year’s soul had flown out of his body as he stood there frozen with wide eyes and staring off into blank space. You couldn’t help giggling at his expression, having too much fun teasing your junior. 

Meanwhile, Kunimi fixed you an unimpressed stare as he told you off, not caring that he was being disrespectful at the moment. “(Name)-senpai, you broke Kindaichi and it’s going to make things worst for him later on.”

You turned to the shorter male with a childish pout. “Aw, come on Kunimi-kun. I was just trying to encourage him to give his all as his senpai.”

There was a stretch of silence as the two of you stared unblinkingly at one another. Kunimi was the first to break that silence by letting out an exasperated sigh and shook his head in disbelief, mumbling how he was such an unlucky person to be stuck with seniors like you and Oikawa. 

“Hey! You should be proud of having such awesome seniors like us.” You protested, feeling slightly offended that the dark-haired male would think otherwise. 

Kunimi, who couldn’t be bothered anymore, simply walked away with a roll of his eyes while Kindaichi was still rooted to the ground the entire time. Grinning, you cupped your hands around your mouth and called out to the retreating first year. 

“There’s still a bit of time before try-out begins. In the meanwhile, why don’t you warm up and watch your future teammates’ play so you can learn a thing or two!”

Pausing in his tracks, a second or so passed before Kunimi glanced over his shoulder and in your direction where you were grinning at him, your hands now rested on your hips. Dark eyes shone with inquisitiveness under the bright gym lights, oddly reminding you of how familiar chocolate orbs became a shade darker as the owner figured out his opponents’ weaknesses with just one sharp glance. 

“The way you say it implies that it’s a guarantee that Kindaichi and I will make it to the team no matter what the circumstance maybe.”

There was a mysterious glint in those (e/c) orbs as you replied with a wink. “As I mention before, you do have awesome seniors after all.”

Without waiting for a response, you waved and strutted confidently back to where your notebook was last left on the ground – opened up to two pages with nothing written on it other than the names of your underclassmen: Kindaichi Yutaro and Kunimi Akira. 

With a knowing smile, you picked up the notebook and traced the _kanji_ characters with a finger. You couldn’t wait to fill out these two pages with training regimens and strategies for your newest members. 

After all, the chances of Seijoh’s beating Shiratorizawa and going the Nationals had just increased. 


	5. Iwaizumi the Matchmaker

**Chapter 4 - Iwaizumi the Matchmaker**

**April**

It was another beautiful day where the last traces of winter finally melted away in the warm glow of the sun with spring slowly coming into full swing. Cherry blossoms in both pink and white was a common sight throughout the whole of Japan, popping up even in the most unconventional places.

Aobajohsai High School was no exception with its front and backyard scattered with soft, downy petals across its flooring. It was a gorgeous picturesque to behold and Seijoh students took the opportunity of the warmer season to have fun out in the open after school hours.

All except but one group.

Loud shouts could be heard coming from the school gym as the volleyball team was having their usual afternoon practice. The atmosphere was filled with heavy breaths as the players practised their serves, their t-shirts sticking to their sweaty skins.

Mizoguchi was the one supervising the practice, his eyes fixated closely on each player and ready to call them out if there was a mistake in their forms. So far, the upperclassmen were doing alright due to having more experience unlike the first years, minus those who had played before back in junior high, who had been with the team for a week now.

It was another typical day of volleyball practice and it was a comfortable routine that everyone present had settled into, going through the motion with a calm mind. All in all, it was a rather peaceful afternoon until it was shattered by the only female member on the team.

“What?!” You exclaimed loudly with widened (e/c) eyes staring at both team captains in disbelief. 

Immediately, practice ceased for that moment as all heads swivelled in the direction of where their manager’s voice had come from, puzzlement written all over their expressions at the sudden loud disruption.

Although, it didn’t last for long and soon, confusion gave into curiosity as they wondered what had happened between their captains, their head coach and their manager for the (h/c)-haired girl to react in this way.

While they had been practising their serves, the four of them were having a discussion over hush voices as though it was only meant for their years and no one else. Hence, it was no wonder the team wanted to know, even more so after the way how their manager had reacted.

Unfortunately for them, before they could hope to eavesdrop on the conversation, the other coach had recovered from the sudden loud outburst and was barking at everyone to stop looking and focused on their serves.

With much reluctance, they turned their attention back to practising and the calm atmosphere returned once more as they fell back into their routines.

However, the same couldn’t be said for the group at the back of the gym where they were having their meeting. You were still gazing at both Oikawa and Iwaizumi with a wide-eyed expression, (e/c) orbs jumping back and forth between the two of them.

Meanwhile, both captains were exchanging bewildered frowns with each other since they had not expected such a response from you. In the span of a heartbeat, the two of them had a silent conversation with their eyes before Iwaizumi nodded in understanding and turned his attention upon you.

“Why do you sound so surprising that we’re having a practice match with Karasuno?” The black-haired vice-captain asked with a tilt of his head. “It’ll be just like any other practice matches we have before with other schools. So, there’s nothing new about this.”

“No! That isn’t what I mean!” You hastily replied and further elaborated when you saw the confused furrow between your friend’s brows. “We never have any special conditions in accepting other schools’ requests to have a practice match with us. Yet, how come that isn’t the case for Karasuno?”

Realization dawned upon Iwaizumi and the confusion on his face disappeared, instead replaced by disapproval. “So, that’s what you mean. Well, if that’s the case, then I’ll let Oikawa explain it since it was his doing in the first place.”

The ace pointed a thumb towards his setter who had betrayal written all over his expression as he glared at his partner. Iwaizumi smirked in return and simply said, “You brought this on yourself, so you deal with it.”

“Bleh!” Oikawa stuck his tongue out childish at his black-haired friend before turning to face you.

You raised a brow in question when the brunette let out a deep sigh, seemingly to be collecting himself because for a moment, you saw hesitance reflected in those chocolate orbs but you weren’t so sure since it disappeared as fast as it appeared – replaced by a familiar smugness you knew so well.

The corners of your lips turned down into a grimace at that sight, knowing that whatever Oikawa was going to say would not sit well with you.

“Well,” The male began, the arrogant smirk on his face growing ever wider. “There’s nothing wrong in wanting to scope out competition early.”

You narrowed your eyes in suspicions at your friend’s vague words, trying to comprehend the deeper meaning behind it and when you finally understood it, your eyes twitched at the first sign of irritation bubbling beneath your skin.

Crossing your arms over your chest, you fixed Oikawa with a scowl. “This has something got to do with Tobio-kun and not because you genuinely wanted to play with Karasuno, am I right to say that?”

The conceited look on Oikawa’s face faltered upon hearing the name of his junior who he had a grudge on ever since junior high, but he quickly recovered when he realized you had referred to Kageyama by his first name, a dark cloud settled over his expression.

His smirk fell and was replaced by a sneer as he answered, “Even if that’s the case, are you going to prevent the team from having practice match so they can improve just because you want to protect a precious _kouhai_ of yours from me? What kind of manager will that make you?”

The moment his words left his mouth, Oikawa instantly regretted when he saw the look of hurt flashed across your face. Just as fast as it appeared, the hurt reflected in your (e/c) orbs disappeared and was replaced by indignation.

Glaring at the volleyball player, you took a step forward until you were in his personal space and jabbed a finger against his chest a few times as you hissed in fury. “How dare you make such an assumption about me without even asking if that was my actual intention! You’re so full of yourself, Oikawa! I swear to god, one day it’s gonna come and bite you back in your ass, then we’ll see who’s the one laughing!”

Oikawa winced at how hard you were poking at him, your nail digging into his skin but he remained silent knowing that if he spoke up, it would only make things worst. Instead, he hung his head in shame with his eyes staring fixedly at the polished wooden floorings, unable to look you in the eyes.

Nobuteru, who had been watching in silence the entire time, finally spoke up with the corners of his lips turned down into a disapproval frown. “Whatever is happening between the two of you, I’m not going to interfere because it isn’t my position to do so. However, Oikawa has a point (L/N) and it’ll be a waste to let this opportunity go.”

You wanted to protest against the head coach, but you knew that he was right and you would never deny your team to have the chance to improve themselves despite Seijoh being considered as a powerhouse when it came to volleyball.

“Of course, sensei. I understand. Once the practice match has been confirmed on both sides, please inform me so I can make the necessary preparation.” You answered with teeth clenched in frustration.

The old man let out a weary sigh and nodded his head in agreement. “I’ll let you know again once I’ve spoken to their teacher.”

Bowing your head stiffly, you thanked Nobuteru and turned on your heels towards the entrance of the gym, not wanting to spend another single second being in the same room with the brown-haired setter.

You were still mad at him for what he had said.

Oikawa cringed when you walked past with a cold glare, bumping against his right shoulder on purpose. He wanted to apologise, not wanting to let the matter dragged on and made it worst, but the words were stuck at the back of his throat.

Meanwhile, Iwaizumi wore a stoic expression as he watched your retreating back with crossed arms, also not uttering a single word. The only clear indication of his discontentedness towards the situation was the upside-down curl of his lips.

Besides, the sounds of volleyballs hitting the ground, there was a tense silence hanging between the trio of best friends. It was so thick that one could slice through it with a knife.

Your hands were clenched into tight fists, your nails digging deeply into your skin as your mind was plagued with memories of the past. Tears gathered in the corners of your eyes as scenes of an innocent smile and sparkling dark blues eyes shining with admiration, chocolate orbs seething with fury with hidden insecurity and the loud shouts of both your best friends arguing.

You squeezed your eyes shut and shook your head to get rid of the phantom noises ringing your ears, telling yourself now was not the best time for a trip down memory lane. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, you calmed the erratic beatings of your heart before opening your eyes once more and wiped away the unshed tears.

Oikawa’s brows furrowed in confusion when he noticed how you had come to a sudden halt in your tracks, wondering what had gotten into you as his eyes roamed over your tensed figure.

Then, out of nowhere, you turned around all of a sudden so that you were facing him. Oikawa was startled and for a moment, he panicked, thinking if he had done something wrong again.

Yet to his surprise, no anger was found in those (e/c) orbs and instead, the edges softened with sadness reflected by the bittersweet smile on those pink lips.

In no louder than a whisper, you broke the silence. “You aren’t inferior to anyone when it comes to volleyball, Tooru. Everyone has their own unique strength even if they share the same playing style. Both you and Tobio-kun are setters, but that doesn’t mean he’s better than you and vice versa because each of you is an exceptional player in your own way. So, I don’t understand why you think he’s a better player than you when that isn’t the case.”

Chocolate orbs widened in surprise, but not a single word left Oikawa’s lips as he didn’t know how to respond to your words. Instead, he stood there with his mouth slightly gaped open and staring at you with unblinking eyes.

Knowing that the wide-eyed teen wasn’t going to respond, you turned towards Iwaizumi who raised a brow in question when he saw your directed gaze upon him.

 _‘You okay?’_ He mouthed silently and you could see concern swirling his eyes. At that, you gave him a small smile and shook your head in reassurance. He got the message and nodded his head in understanding, not worrying any further after knowing that you would be fine.

Feeling drained all of a sudden, you decided to call it a day. On your way out of the gym, you informed Mizoguchi that you would be leaving and then proceeded to the girls’ locker room to grab your belongings before heading home to rest and wallowed in the past.

**Time skipped**

Music blasted in your ears and you hummed to the beat of the song currently playing as you worked on your math homework when came a knock on your bedroom door before it creaked open and a head with a lighter shade of (h/c) hair popped in.

Lifting your head from the notebook filled with numbers and formulas, you greeted your mother with a small smile and immediately paused your music, removing your headphones so it hung around your neck.

“Hey, mom. What’s up?”

The older (L/N) answered with a smile of her own. “Nothing much. Just wanted to let you know you have a guest.”

You glanced over towards the alarm clock sitting on your study desk, the time read 9 pm and wondered with a tilt of your head who would be visiting you at this timing. You soon got your answer when your mother pushed the door wider to reveal a familiar figure standing behind her smaller frame.

Immediately, the smile on your lips turned into a frown, but you didn’t say anything to acknowledge the presence of the brunette.

“Hi,” Oikawa gave an awkward smile, his right hand raised in a half-hearted wave.

He looked nothing like the confident captain of Seijoh Boys’ Volleyball Team on the court.

Sensing the rising tension in the air, your mother lightly coughed which drew both your attention towards her. With a knowing smile, she spoke up. “I’ll prepare some light snacks and drinks in case either of you is hungry.”

You opened your mouth, ready to tell her there was no need to waste food and her time since you weren’t going to play host for Oikawa. However, she beat you to it before you could even utter a single word.

“Tooru, dear,” She turned towards said person with a motherly gaze. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable in (Name)’s room while I ran downstairs to prepare your favourite milk bread I bought this morning from your favourite bakery store?”

The volleyball player wanted to protest and tell the older (h/c)-haired woman that she didn’t have to trouble herself since he wasn’t planning to stay for long, yet the words died on his tongue when he saw the eagerness on her face.

Unable to say no the woman who was like a second mother to him, he replied with one of his rare smiles. “I’ll really like that. Thank you, aunty.”

Beaming, your mother clapped her hands in delight and gave Oikawa a light pat to his cheek before turning on her heels and headed downstairs towards the kitchen to get started on the snacks she promised right away.

The brunette chuckled and watched your mother’s retreating back as she skipped down the stairs like a five-year-old kid. “Despite being the oldest amongst our mothers, she acts like the youngest.”

You didn’t reply and simply just stared at the intruder who was still standing outside of your bedroom. You noticed how Oikawa was dressed in his white tracksuit which meant he had come here directly after practice had ended.

If it was any other day, you would have happily welcomed the male in your house. However, after what had happened today, you weren’t in the mood. In fact, you had to hold in the urge of wanting to kick him out of your house but knew that you would be the one ended up being thrown out if your mother ever found out.

Sometimes, you couldn’t help thinking that your mother was fonder of Oikawa, the son she never had, as compared to you who was her own flesh-and-blood.

Seconds had passed and yet, neither of you had said a single word. You were still boring holes into the setter who was too afraid to step foot into your room until permission was granted.

You might be giving your best friend the cold shoulders at the moment, but that didn’t mean you were cruel enough to chase him away. After all, it would be a waste of his trip to send him home after travelling here all the way from school.

(Well, it wouldn’t really be that way since Oikawa lived like a street away from you, but you chose to look over that small detail.)

“Come in,” You said blankly and not caring if the male came in or not, you put your headphones back on and focused on your homework once more. Despite that, your music remained paused.

Oikawa noticed but didn’t point it out. Instead, he muttered a quiet “Pardon the intrusion” before entering your room and headed for your bed where he sat down, placing his school bag onto the ground next to his feet.

For the next ten minutes, the room was plunged into a tense silence as neither of you said a single word. You tried to concentrate on your homework, only to give up when you realized you had been reading the same question over and over again.

Instead, you settled for glaring holes into your math notebook and contemplated why Oikawa had decided to pay a visit so late at night.

Meanwhile, Oikawa was glancing around your room since there was nothing else he could do. Despite having been here so many times since as a kid, your room had pretty remained the same, minus a few deco items here and there which changed throughout the years.

The only area that was everchanging was the wall opposite where your bed was located. On the (f/c)-painted wall was filled with photos of your family, a few of your old and current volleyball teams but the ones that took up the most amount of space were photos of the best friend trio.

Chocolate orbs shimmered with fondness as they glanced from one photo of the three of them to the next with a hint of nostalgia, the corners of his lips curling into the softest smile he ever wore.

Just then, another knock on the door brought him back to his senses. Shifting his gaze over, he watched as you stood up from your desk and opened it to reveal your mother carrying a tray filled with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of assorted fruits along with the milk bread she promised.

Oikawa quickly got up from the bed and was about to go over to help, but you had already taken the tray from your mother and after thanking her, you shut the door once more with a light kick of your foot.

Turning to the male standing with a lost look in the middle of your room, you raised a brow in question and lifted the tray slightly. “What are you standing around for? This isn’t your first time over, so you should know what to do.”

“Oh, right.” Oikawa realized with a start, his cheeks pinking in embarrassment. “Sorry about that.”

You rolled your eyes and stood there, tapping a foot impatiently as Oikawa pulled a low table out from the bottom of your bed and you set the tray down on top of it before taking a seat. Noticing how the brown-haired male was still standing, you gestured to the empty space opposite you.

“Why are you still standing?” You questioned sarcastically. “Are you waiting for the Queen of England to invite you or something?”

Oikawa cringed upon hearing the mockery in your voice but did as told and proceeded to sit down, folding his long legs beneath him. After he had settled down with his back ramrod straight, the uncomfortable silence from before returned.

The hot steam from the two cups of hot chocolate rose into the air and swirled lazily around each other like a ribbon dance, filling your room with a sweet aroma. Oikawa swallowed the lump stuck in his throat as you continued to bore holes into him, staring intensely with your lips sealed shut.

At this point, your friend was trying his hardest not to squirm in his seat and it filled you with some sense of satisfaction of seeing the usually flamboyant teen so awkward in his own skin.

You finally decided to stop making the poor boy so uncomfortable and broke the silence by giving thanks before grabbing your mug to take a sip of your mother’s delicious hot chocolate. There were even tiny marshmallows floating on the surface.

Realizing the worst was over, Oikawa released the breath he didn’t even know he was holding in and relaxed his rigid posture. He glanced eagerly at the unsealed milk bread sitting innocently on the tray, his tongue itching to taste his pastry but he was hesitant to do so.

Noticing his uncertain expression, you sighed and placed down your mug before reaching over to take the milk bread, tore the package open and held it out in front of your best friend with raised brows. “What are you waiting for? The cows to come home?”

“Ah, no.” Oikawa was quick to reply and accepted the pastry from you with a lopsided smile. “Thank you.”

“Hmm,” You hummed and returned to sipping on your hot beverage, watching with hidden fondness as the setter took a huge bite of his milk bread – chocolate orbs shining with innocent happiness.

Even you couldn’t help the slight curl of your lips seeing the way how Oikawa’s face lit up with joy at something as simple as eating milk bread.

Time ticked away as both of you enjoyed the snacks prepared by your mother before clearing the empty tray and finally getting down to business as to why the captain had decided to pay your humble home a visit this late at night.

“So,” You dragged out the “o” just to get the conversation started. “What do I owe the pleasure of His Majesty’s visit this late at night?”

For the hundredth times, Oikawa winced at the sarcasm in your voice. Feeling ashamed for what happened this afternoon at practice, he lowered his head and fixed his eyes onto his fiddling fingers which were a nervous habit of his.

“(Name), I’m sorry about today.” He apologised in a meek voice, his head still bowed and unable to look you in the eyes.

You sighed and massaged your temples as if you had a massive headache, muttering to yourself. “Why can I never stay mad at you for long?”

The teen perked up when he heard the resignation in your tone, the barest sign of expectation beginning to unfurl in his heart. “Maybe because you love me?”

You couldn’t help the slight uptick of your lips slowly forming into a smile as you replied teasingly, “Who knows? Maybe I do.”

His head immediately shot up and stared at you with wide hopeful eyes, breaking out into a grin. You tried to maintain your stoic expression, your eyes twitching with the effort to hold in the smile threatening to bloom on your face.

However, you didn’t last for long and soon gave in to the urge. Dark brown eyes literally sparkled when Oikawa saw the beam on your face, his expression reminding you of an eager puppy.

“I’m supposed to be mad at you, but you’re making it very difficult for me to do so.” You grumbled, pretending to be angry still.

Smugness was basically oozing from said person’s body as he smirked in reply, “That’s because you love me and can get never truly be mad at me.”

“And the pompous asshole is back.” You rolled your eyes, but there was no hard feeling anymore.

Oikawa chuckled, pleased to see that his best friend was back to normal and no longer angry at him. He made a note to treat Iwaizumi to his favourite drink tomorrow for knocking, literally, some sense into him to drop by your place after practice to apologise.

Although the urge to set the brunette’s perfect hair on fire was no more, it didn’t mean you were still happy about his condition for Karasuno if Seijoh was to have a practice match against them.

However, you knew it would be futile to try and persuade Oikawa to change his mind because his grudge for Kageyama would never let him miss the chance of provoking the younger male, especially when the opportunity was handed to him on a silver platter.

You had been frowning and must not have realized it until your brown-haired friend called you on it.

“(Name), what’s the matter?” Oikawa asked with a mirrored frown of his own, his brows furrowing in concern. “You look upset for some reason. I thought we’re okay now.”

You took in a deep breath to calm down lest the anger that had just simmered down exploded again before facing the teen, answering in an annoyed tone. “I may no longer be mad at you anymore, but it doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for what you’re still planning to do.”

Now, it was Oikawa’s turn to be irritated as he narrowed his eyes at you. “I know what you’re trying to do, but it isn’t gonna work because I’m not going to change my mind no matter what you say.”

You sucked in a frustrated breath and contemplated if you should carry out your threat for real from earlier before but decided against it. After a long day of being angry at this idiot, you called your best friend, you were emotionally drained.

You pinched the bridge of your nose, releasing a sigh of helplessness. “I know that and I’m gonna stop you because even if I try, it’ll be a waste of time. Nonetheless, I’m still not pleased about it.”

Seeing how torn you were about this issue, Oikawa felt guilty but he really needed to do this and hoped that you could understand as a friend who had known him for the longest.

“Please, (Name).” He pleaded, for once putting aside his arrogance and displaying the vulnerable side of him which he hated the most about himself, but he trusted you. “You know why I’ve to do this.”

Your gaze softened when you heard the self-doubt in his voice and you were weak to it, knowing how much it meant the volleyball player who always felt inferior of his own skills even though he was amazing and talented beyond belief.

If only he could see himself in this way like you do.

“Just promise me you’ll try not to provoke Tobio-kun as much on that day, okay?” You gave a half-smile.

It wasn’t exactly an agreement, but Oikawa wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth anyway.

Nodding his head eagerly, he grabbed your hand and hooked his pinkie finger over yours. “I promise!”

Blinded by the pure grin on the brunette’s face, you found yourself being taken aback by it and for a moment, you forgot why you were unhappy in the first place when the one your soul yearned for was making your heart rate increased.

You could feel your cheeks heating up and not wanting to give your feelings for Oikawa away, you pulled your hand out of his grasp and gave his head, which had leaned over the table and into your personal space, a pushing.

He landed back on his ass with a light “oof”, confusion sweeping over his expression as he stared at you with wide surprise eyes.

Ignoring the silent question in those dark brown orbs, you immediately stood up, grabbed the tray and walked over to your door. The entire time, you could feel his questioning gaze on your back.

You opened the door and without turning to look at him, you exclaimed. “When I come back to my room, I expect you to be gone!”

With that, you exited your bedroom and escaped down to the kitchen all the while your heart was racing.

Oikawa blinked his eyes a few times, still staring at the opened door and puzzled by what just happened. However, he soon regained his senses and couldn’t help chuckling at your flustered behaviour, finding how cute you looked with red cheeks.

Look like you wasn’t successful in hiding it from him.

With a smile, the brown-haired teen rose to his feet and grabbed his school bag by your bed before heading down the stairs, bidding your mother and you, who was still hiding in the kitchen, and saw himself out of the door.

As he made his way home, all that filled his thoughts were not of the upcoming practice match with Karasuno and his chance to tease his underclassman, but rather how his heart was unknowingly racing just as fast as yours were.

* * *

A few days had passed since you learnt about Oikawa’s condition (which you were still mighty upset about) and the practice match between Seijoh and Karasuno had already been confirmed. 

The coaches had left you to handle the small details with both captains of the team and that was what you were doing with Iwaizumi currently.

Practice for today had ended and the school gym was devoid of anyone else besides the two of you, who were going over the finalized details of the practice match together, and Oikawa who was having a go at his serves now that he had the whole court to himself.

“So, for the first years, we’ll have Kindaichi-kun and Kunimi-kun to play as regulars for the upcoming practice match with Karasuno, am I right?” You asked for clarification, tugging a strand of (h/c) hair behind your ears.

“Mm,” Iwaizumi hummed in agreement. “Out of all the first years we have, both of them have more experiences considering they’ve been playing since junior high. On top of that, we can use this opportunity to see how they’ll fare in playing in a high school setting.”

Nodding your head, you jotted down a quick reminder into your notebook lest you forgot about it on the day itself. With a hum of satisfaction, you closed your notebook and glanced up at your black-haired friend with a grin.

“Thanks for the help Hajime, unlike a certain somebody.” You said, (e/c) orbs glinting with mischief. “The coaches should’ve chosen you as the captain instead.”

The vice-captain of Seijoh smirked in amusement. “The only thing he’s good at as the captain of the team is being an embarrassment and creating trouble for both you and me.”

You giggled at that remark, rewarding a fond ruffle to your hair as Iwaizumi let out his own chuckles. It was moments spent with your best friends like this filled your heart with a joyful warmth.

Just then, the happy bubble between the both of you was popped when a shout of pain followed by a loud thump was heard. Immediately, both of your heads perked up with alert and swivelled in the direction of where the sounds had come from.

The sight of your best friend on the floor wearing a pained expression was not a good sign at all.

“Tooru!” You cried out in worry as you scrambled onto your feet and hurriedly ran over to his side with Iwaizumi behind you. “Are you alright?! What happened?”

“I-I think I might have sprained my left ankle.” The brunette winced as he tried to shift his ankle, only to let out a low hiss. “Yeap, I definitely did sprain it.”

“Let me take a quick look at it.” Iwaizumi spoke in a gruff voice, but even you could hear the hint of concern for his friend in his voice.

Getting onto his knees, the ace slowly lifted his partner’s left leg and gently placed on his lap, careful to not jostle his limb too much in case it brought on more pain for him. While Iwaizumi removed Oikawa’s shoe and sock to have a closer look, you were hovering like an anxious bee.

“So, what’s the verdict, Doctor Iwa-chan?” Oikawa joked to try and lessen the heavy mood but was meant with a glare from said doctor instead. “You’ve don’t have to look at me like that, I’m just kidding!”

As he complained about Iwaizumi being a party pooper, you glanced over to your other friend and inquired about the injury. “How bad is it?”

Seeing how worried you were for the brunette, the corners of his lips quirked up in a small smile as he reassured you. “It’s nothing too serious, just a slight sprain.”

“Oh, thank god.” You breathed out a sigh of relief, earning an amused chuckle from the teen.

“See! There’s nothing to worry about, (Name)!” Oikawa grinned, his hand reaching up to pat you on the head. “I’ll be fine after a good night rest.”

Batting his hand away from you in annoyance, you frowned at him. “Even if it’s a slight one, it’s still a sprain which means tonight you’re gonna go home and ice it, then rest for the next days with no strenuous activity.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened open in horror when he understood the implication behind your words and immediately protested. “But I can’t afford to skip out on practice now, especially not with the practice match coming up in a few days!”

“That’s too bad.” You replied with no remorse whatsoever. “You just have to deal with the consequences.”

“But (Name)!” The brunette whined and tried to change your mind with his puppy eyes, but you weren’t falling for it.

(E/C) eyes narrowed into a stern glare as your frown deepened. “No means no, Tooru.”

Realizing he was fighting a losing battle; Oikawa accepted his defeat with a sigh. “Fine.”

“It’s not like you’ll die if you don’t play volleyball for once.” Iwaizumi rolled his eyes upon seeing the pout on his childhood’s friend face. “Besides, you won’t be able to play in the actual practice match if you don’t allow your injured ankle to recover.”

Despite knowing both his friends had a very good point, it didn’t mean he was happy about the situation and continued to sulk like the big baby that he was.

A tinkle of laughter could be heard as you grinned and leaned in to give a comforting pat to Oikawa’s cheek, causing his eyes to sparkle with delight. “Alright, time for you to go home.”

Raising to your feet, you gestured for Iwaizumi to help the brunette put back on his sock and shoe before helping him onto his feet. The right side of his body was leaning into Iwaizumi with his right arm over his friend’s shoulder who had an arm securely around his waist and taking on most of his weight.

“Hajime, why you don’t you bring Tooru to the clubroom to change and grab both your belongings while I’ll clean up and lock up the gym?” You turned to face Iwaizumi with a small smile. “I’ll meet both of you at the main gate after I’m done. So, take your time.”

Oikawa opened his mouth, ready to protest that he was more than capable of clearing up after his own but Iwaizumi beat him to the punch before he could even utter a single word.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you then.” Iwaizumi smiled. “Just make sure you be careful. We can’t have our manager out of commission too.”

You laughed and waved off his worry. “Don’t worry. I’m not like a certain someone.”

Chocolate orbs jumped back and forth between his best friends as they talked about him as though he wasn’t present to hear it. Disbelief coloured Oikawa’s face as he exclaimed in mock hurt. “Can’t believe both my best friends will be so mean to me!”

Ignoring the cries of indignation coming the taller male, Iwaizumi said he would see you later before half-dragging and half-supporting Oikawa slowly out of the gym, careful to take most of his body weight so that none rested on his left foot.

You watched their retreating backs and shook your head at their bickering the entire time, before turning your attention to picking up the volleyballs Oikawa had served into the cart and stowing them back into its respective place in the storeroom.

After double-checking that nothing was left behind, you offed the lights and locked up the gym before making your way towards the school gate to meet your best friends.

**Time skipped**

“The swelling should go down by tomorrow morning.” You informed Oikawa who was sitting on his bed, his right ankle propped on a pillow.

“I’m sure with Nurse (Name)’s caring hands, I’ll recover in no time at all!” The brunette grinned brightly as you removed the ice bag he usually used for his bad knee due to an old injury.

You rolled your eyes as Iwaizumi lightly hit the teen on the back of his head, growling, “Thank her properly, Shittykawa!”

“Mean, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa cried out and rubbed at the sore spot, glancing up at his black-haired friend with crocodile tears. “How can you hit an injured person?! What if I ended up with a more serious injury?!”

Iwaizumi simply raised a brow and lifted a clenched fist at said injured person. “Want to test that out?”

“No!” Oikawa hurriedly replied and held up both his arms to his face to protect himself in case his ace decided to really carry out his threat.

Shaking your head at them, you chided. “Both of you that’s enough. Hajime, stop bullying the injured person and Tooru, if you don’t provoke him, he won’t always need to punch you.”

“I’m the innocent one here!” The brunette protested weakly.

“Sure, you did.” You deadpanned.

Oikawa turned to glare at his childhood friend who had a smug smirk on his face.

Both you and Iwaizumi stayed to accompany Oikawa for a while before deciding it was getting late and time to head home. However, before you left, you gave the setter a set of instructions.

“Make sure to ice your ankle once more in the morning and the swelling should completely go down by then, leaving you to be able to walk without too much pain.” You paused in contemplation before adding on. “You know what, just take a pain killer since you’ll be walking around in school anyways. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, madam,” Oikawa replied absentmindedly as his mind was focusing on something else.

You narrowed your eyes in suspicions when you heard the distraction in his voice and immediately knew what he was thinking of.

You called him out with a frown. “Don’t even think about having private practices because if I catch you doing that, you’ll be dead meant.”

The setter jumped at being caught red-handed because that was exactly what he was thinking about. He gave you a look of surprise as he asked, “How did you guess that?”

You raised your brows. “I’ve known you for your entire life, Tooru. If I don’t know how your brain works by now, what kind of a friend will I be?”

Iwaizumi chuckled at Oikawa’s dumbfounded expression as he stared at you with wide eyes. “It never fails to amaze me how you’re able to know what we’re thinking of most of the times.”

“Eh, it happens naturally since I spent almost every day with both of you for like the past ten or so years of life.” You shrugged before picking up your school bag off from the floor and informing Oikawa before you leave his house. “I’ll let the coaches know about your situation and that you won’t be playing volleyball until the practice match against Karasuno. So, I better not see your ass at the gym tomorrow morning or else!”

“Yes, mom.” Oikawa saluted at your mothering.

Satisfied with his easy agreement, you bid the male goodnight with a fond smile. “Don’t stay up too late tonight, Tooru. I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”

Iwaizumi echoed his own version of goodnight. “Try not to die in your sleep, Shittykawa.”

“Can’t you say something nice for once, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa cried. “Now I won’t be able to sleep tonight!”

The ace rolled his eyes, although there was a hint of mischief like he was up to something when he answered, “Why don’t you get (Name) to kiss you or something to chase away the bad dreams then?”

You were giggling at their interaction when it suddenly got cut off by Iwaizumi’s words while Oikawa’s expression lit up at that thought.

“Hajime!” You hissed, feeling your cheeks heating up at the tell-tale sign of the first-hand embarrassment. “What exactly are you trying to do?!”

Your best friend dared to smirk which you wanted to wipe it off his face so badly with a punch as he responded, “Why are you getting so riled up for? You used to it all the times before we went to bed during sleepovers.”

“We were like five back then! We’re too old to do that kind of stuff anymore!” You flailed your arms about like an octopus as you tried to drive your point home.

However, being the little shit that he was, Iwaizumi continued to water the seed sown in Oikawa’s thoughts. “So what? Besides, you can just do a friendly little peck to the cheek. It’s not like I’m asking you to kiss him on the lips…”

He trailed off in contemplation, but you knew better when the smug grin on his face only grew wider.

“Unless you really do wanna—”

“I’LL DO IT! I’LL DO IT!” You interrupted with a loud cry before the black-haired male could finish his sentence and exposed your true feelings.

“Be my guest,” Iwaizumi stepped aside and gestured towards Oikawa who was glancing between the two of you with brows furrowed in confusion.

“(Name), you don’t have to do this if you’re uncomfortable.” Your friend softly spoke, not wanting to force you to do something you didn’t want to.

“I’m fine. It’s no big deal. After all, it’s just a peck and nothing more.” You tried to reassure Oikawa although it looked more like you were trying to convince yourself that the whole ordeal was really no big deal.

Mentally plotting Iwaizumi’s murder in your mind, you took a deep breath to steady your racing heart and leaned forward, hovering over Oikawa’s head whose eyes had slid shut as he waited with bated breath for the feel of soft lips against his scalp.

You faltered, not expecting the brunette to onboard with your other friend’s idea and froze with uncertainty. Nothing happened for a second or two before you decided to throw all cautions to the wind, steel your nerves and gave a quick peck to the forehead before bolting out of the room.

Iwaizumi chuckled as you escaped with a red face, your heart pounding away in your ears. When there was still no response coming from his best friend, he turned to look with a curious quirk of his brows.

Oikawa’s eyes had fluttered open at the sound of his bedroom door opening and shutting, his mind in a daze as he tried to register what just happened. The kiss was no more than like a butterfly touch to his skin, yet he could feel the warmth in his cheeks and the fluttering in his stomach.

This wasn’t his first time receiving a kiss to his forehead from you, yet why was he reacting this way?

Iwaizumi noticed his friend’s stunned expression and couldn’t help teasing him. “You okay there, buddy? You look like you discover the answer to life’s greatest question.”

“H-Huh?” Oikawa blinked his eyes sluggishly before coming to a realization that his ace was still standing in his room even though you were nowhere to be found. “O-Oh yeah, I’m fine.”

“I’m sure you are.” Iwaizumi replied with a knowing smirk. “Well, I better get going. I still need to walk (Name) home.”

“O-Oh sure,” Oikawa spoke half-heartedly. “Take care.”

With a nod of his head, Iwaizumi picked up his school and bid his friend good night once more before exiting his bedroom, closing the door gently after him.

That night, Oikawa didn’t go to sleep immediately. Instead, he laid awake in his bed and stared at his ceiling as his mind thought back to the kiss. Even when he did fall asleep, it didn’t leave his thought and plagued his dream.

* * *

The entire walk back to your home, you refused to speak Iwaizumi who was walking leisurely behind you without a single care in the world while you stalked forward, fuming with frustration and embarrassment.

You continued to ignore the volleyball player until you reached the doorsteps of your house. For a few seconds, neither of you said anything as you took the time to calm down with your back facing your friend who was standing in the middle of your front yard with his hands in his pockets.

After the urge of wanting to kill your best friend had more or less disappeared, you whipped your head around and practically demanded what was wrong with said person. “What the hell was that for, Hajime?! I can’t believe you made me do that despite knowing how I felt about Tooru!!”

His lips were quirked into a lazy smirk as he answered, “Is this the thanks I get for creating opportunities for you to have a go with your crush?”

“Hajime, I swear to god!” You cursed. “Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn’t stain my front yard with your blood right now!”

“Because you are secretly delighted with having the chance to kiss Oikawa.” Iwaizumi stated as though it was merely a fact.

You opened and closed your mouth a few times, unable to respond because you were struck speechless by this guy who had the nerve to be so sure of his words!

(Although you couldn’t argue with that fact because it was the truth, you would take this with you to your grave before anyone could even find out.)

“Y-You—” You tried to think of something to say but gave up when your mind came up blank.

Instead, you settled for a deep scowl to convey what your chaotic mind was feeling at the moment. “I’ll let you off this time since Tooru’s there, but pull something like this again, I won’t hesitate to spill blood on my hands!”

You couldn’t bother to receive a response from the black-haired male because you were done with his antics and marched up to the door, unlocked it before entering your house and closing the door in your friend’s without so much as a goodbye.

Iwaizumi remained on the pavement leading up to your house and blinked his eyes at what just happened. However, he soon regained his senses and with a light chuckle, spun on his heels and made his way home.

Look like he had found a new hobby to do in his spare time – playing matchmaker between his two best friends. He could already imagine all sorts of things he could do and was looked forward to it. 


	6. An Old Time Rival

**Chapter 5 - An Old Time Rival**

**April**

Dawn broke, flooding the morning sky with brilliant pinks, oranges, and reds that peeked around the curtains to dance on the walls. As the sun slowly rose over the horizon to take its rightful place amongst the clouds, you were also slowly surfacing from dreamland and becoming aware of your surroundings. 

As the last vestiges of sleep ebbed away, eyelids fluttered open to reveal hazy (e/c) orbs. Yawning, you stretched your arms above your head and let out a satisfied sigh as your body relaxed, melting into a puddle on your soft bed. 

You reached over to your bedside table where you had left your handphone to charge last night. Unplugging the device, your lips curled into a lazy smile as you pressed the home button and the lock screen lit up to reveal a notification from your calendar app. 

You blinked sluggishly and squinted your eyes against the bright screen, trying to read what was shown. “P…Practice match with Karasuno.”

You stared, uncomprehending for a few seconds as the words bounced around your mind, your brain still half-asleep and not functioning as per normal. However, the moment it registered; an excited grin broke on your face. 

After all, this would be Seijoh’s first practice match with another school ever since the new term started. On top of that, you would be meeting a favourite underclassman of yours whom you had seen in a long time. 

Fully awake now, you threw your blanket aside and scrambled out of bed, grabbing your uniform and towel before heading off to the bathroom to get ready for school. 

Since today’s morning practice had been cancelled due to the practice match in the afternoon, you had more time on your hands than usual. So, you took your own sweet time in getting ready before meeting your best friends at the usual meeting spot. 

**Time skipped**

By the time you left your house and met up with Oikawa and Iwaizumi, the morning sun was already high in the sky and shining beautiful rays through the many spaces of cherry blossoms trees. 

You took in a deep breath; the scent of fresh flowers tickling your nose and exhaled a contented sigh. Walking on your left, Iwaizumi, who heard the little sigh leaving your lips, wore a look of amusement and glanced at you, commenting, “Someone’s a little happy today. Is it because of a certain someone you’ll be seeing later?”

The corners of your lips lifted into a sly smile, (e/c) eyes glittering with mischief as you answered, dragging out the word. “Maybe.”

The ace let out a chuckle and ruffled your hair in a teasing manner. “You know Oikawa won’t be happy to hear that.”

“Since when do you care about what Tooru feels or thinks.” You snorted, pushing his hand away and fixed your hair. 

Iwaizumi said nothing and simply smirked because you were right about him after all. 

Just then, said person, who been flirting with a group of schoolgirls he passed by earlier on like any other day, popped up and inserted himself into the conversation. “Are y’all talking about how handsome Oikawa is?”

You rolled your eyes while Iwaizumi shoved Oikawa’s face away, letting out an irritated growl. “Get your ugly ass out of my face, Shittykawa!”

In true typical Oikawa fashion, crocodile tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he clutched his chest in mock hurt. “Mean, Iwa-chan, you’re so mean! Is this how you treat your best friend?!”

Your black-haired friend began rolling his sleeves up and took a threatening step towards the brunette, his brows furrowing in anger. The latter immediately shrieked in terror and ran to hide behind you, cowering like a scared chicken. 

You stepped aside which he put him in Iwaizumi’s line of sight and with a blank face, you said, “He’s all yours, Hajime. Don’t hold back.”

A look of betrayal crossed Oikawa’s face as he whipped his head towards you, chocolate orbs wide with disbelief. “(Name)-chan, how could you?! You’re supposed to protect me from the grinch!”

“What did you just call me?!” Iwaizumi growled in the background. 

“Sorry, Tooru.” You apologised, not feeling sorry at all if the sweet smile on your lips was anything to go by. 

You gave Oikawa a teasing salute then turned on your heels and walked away while the male whined about how you could abandon an innocent and handsome man. Ignoring him, you walked past Iwaizumi, gave him a sly wink which he returned with an evil grin and continued the rest of your journey to school with – humming in tune to the cry of pleas coming from behind you. 

The practice match with Karasuno couldn’t have come any faster. 

* * *

_Ring!_

The hallways of Aobajohsai was filled with the shrill ringing of the last period bell, indicating that school for the day had come to an end. Sounds of chairs scraping against the floor could be heard as students packed their stuff into their school bag, bid each other farewell before dispersing with their own group of friends and heading off for after school club activities or hanging out at a café or arcade. 

You were the former as you slung your bag over your shoulder and pushed in your chair, waving to some of your classmates and exited the classroom. There was a skip in your steps as you decided to make a pit stop at your volleyball friends’ classroom down the hallway before leaving for the gym together as a group. 

A chuckle escaped when you saw Oikawa trying to dodge Iwaizumi who had a murderous look on his face as he attempted to strangle his friend to death while Matsukawa and Hanamaki, both of no help at all, were laughing their asses off to the side. 

After watching Oikawa’s cries of help falling on deaf ears, you decided to step in and save his sorry ass before you were left with a bloody mess to clean up. You cleared your throat, making your presence known to the occupants in the room. 

All heads turned towards the entrance of the classroom where you stood, looking like deer caught in a headline. Iwaizumi had one fist raised in the air, ready to hit Oikawa like he always did while the other was clutching tightly onto the front of the other’s uniform, preventing him from escaping. 

Used to the sight which was a daily occurrence in your life being friends with these two, you simply entered the classroom and gave Iwaizumi a pointed look. “Hajime, release Tooru this instant.”

The ace hesitated but eventually obliged when you raised a brow at him, reluctantly letting go of him. Amusement coloured your voice upon seeing the grumpy male whose had his arms crossed in displeasure. “I know you wanna kill Tooru, but let’s save it for after the practice match with Karasuno, okay? Afterwards, you can do all you want with him and I won’t stop you, promise.”

That seemed to delight Iwaizumi bared his teeth in a grin and unfolded his arms, cracking his fingers. “I can deal with that.”

Oikawa’s jaws dropped open, his gaze jumping back and forth between his best friends before pointing an accusatory finger at you. “(Name)-chan! Why will you do this to me?!”

“That’s because you’re deserved it since you make it your life goal to drive Hajime up the wall for the rest of his life on this earth.” You answered matter-of-factly, before turning to said person with a sympathy smile. “I’m sorry you’ve to deal with an idiot like this, Hajime. I’m truly sorry, I really am.”

Meanwhile, the setter staggered backwards like someone had shot him and gasped loudly, “I-I can’t believe the people I’ve to spend my entire life with are so cruel to me when I've been such a wonderful gift in their lives.”

You rolled your eyes at the drama king. “You’re the opposite of a wonderful gift.” 

Oikawa let out another dramatic gasp which was promptly ignored by both his best friends who had grabbed their bags and abandoned him, discussing the upcoming practice match while on their way to the gym. 

Matsukawa and Hanamaki, who had been enjoying the free show with their invisible popcorns and unnecessary commentary, finally lost it. Their heads were thrown back as they clutched at their stomachs and tears pricked their eyelashes, barks of laughter echoing throughout the room. 

Brown eyes twitched in irritation, his arms folded across his chest and tapping his foot impatiently as Oikawa waited for his friends’ to stop laughing like madmen. 

As the laughter subsided into hiccups and giggles, he asked in a deadpan voice. “Are you both done?”

“I-I can’t believe the great and almighty Oikawa just got abandon by his friends!” Hanamaki gasped loudly before dissolving into another round of laughter. 

Matsukawa leaned against a desk; the corners of his lips lifted into a lazy smirk as he rubbed more salt into his captain’s wound. “Man, you’re sure _loved_ by them, don’t you?”

The emphasis on the word “loved” had the teen spluttered and flailing his arms about as he were quick to protest. “Of course, they love me! I’m the best thing both Iwa-chan and (Name)-chan ever have in their lives!”

“Really?” Hanamaki grinned slyly. “Because what just happened doesn’t look like to be the case.”

“Nice one, Makki.” Matsukawa drawled and exchanged a high five with the light-haired male, their eyes sparkling with mischief. 

Having enough of all of his so-called friends ganging up on, Oikawa turned on his heels and left the classroom with a sulking expression, muttering about how miserable his life was. 

He needed new friends in life, ones that preferably wouldn’t poke fun of him 24/7. 

**Time skipped**

(E/C) eyes jumping back and forth between the clock hanging on the wall and the entrance of the gym. The team from Karasuno High was bound to arrive any time soon and yet the captain of Seijoh was nowhere to be found. 

You had asked Hanamaki and Matsukawa about his whereabouts since they had been with him before this, but they shook their heads and said they didn’t know because the male just left without a single word. 

You tried calling and texting him but received no answers with your calls going straight to voicemail and your messages being ignored. You knew his phone wasn’t switched off because your texts read “received” which meant he got them, but just didn’t bother to open it. 

“Goddammit, where is Tooru?!” You hissed in frustration and jabbed the end call button repeatedly, not wanting to hear said person’s annoying voice after another futile call went straight to voicemail. “I’m gonna kill his ass!”

The team watched in mild fear, minus the third years, as their manager paced back and forth with a storm cloud hanging over her head, muttering curses directed at their captain beneath her breath. 

They were certainly without a doubt that Oikawa Tooru had just dug his own grave for good. 

“Once I get my hands on that shit, I’m gonna strangle him to death.” You muttered darkly; a sinister grin shaped your lips at the thought of it. 

“If the police asked, I’m going to tell it was done in self-defence.” You could hear the smirk in his voice which brought a delighted chuckle out of you. 

“You’re the best, Hajime.” You turned around to meet Iwaizumi with a grateful smile, appreciating the much-needed distraction before you exploded out of frustration over a certain brunette. 

The ace raised a hand and gently ruffled your hair, reassuring you. “I’m sure that idiot will turn up eventually since he’s the one who requested for Kageyama to be the setter. Besides, knowing him, he’ll never let this chance to slip through his finger. So, don’t lose your sanity over Shittykawa.”

You let out a giggle and the tension in your body dissipated under the caring ministration of your best friend, your expression softening into one of contentedness. “Thanks, Hajime. I really needed that.”

“Anything for you.” Iwaizumi replied before excusing himself to return to practice while waiting for their guests to arrive. 

You didn’t have to wait for long when a group of high schoolers dressed in full black entered the school gym, standing by the entrance as they glanced around their new environment in awe. 

“Greeting.” A teen with black hair, which you assumed must be the team captain, called out and the entire team bowed in greeting. “Nice to meet you.”

Your team paused in their practice to return their greeting, their voices echoing throughout the vast gym. “Nice to meet you.”

You straightened your body and an excited grin broke out on your face as you searched for a familiar face amongst the group, (e/c) orbs lighting up with glee when you found who you were looking for. 

“Tobio-kun!” You called Kageyama’s name, waving a hand to catch his attention as you approached the team.

Immediately, all eyes fell upon you, curiosity reflected in their gazes as they wondered how did you know one of their teammates. You ignored all of them and came to a stop in front of the teen, his brows furrowing in slight confusion before he finally recognised you. 

“(L/N)-senpai, it’s been a while.” Kageyama greeted with a bow, being mindful of his manners in front of an upperclassman. 

You were instantly reminded of how Kindaichi was exactly the same when he bumped into his junior high seniors in the first years’ hallway. Chuckling, you replied, “I know we haven’t seen each other in ages, but I remember asking you to call me by my first name.”

Kageyama immediately stiffened and quickly apologised for his mistake even though that wasn’t the case. “R-Right, sorry (Name)-senpai.”

You waved off his apology with a reassuring grin, thinking how adorable the first year was. “It’s alright. How have you been?”

“I-I’ve been good, senpai.” Kageyama stumbled over his words, still feeling slightly intimidated by one of his ex-upperclassmen’s presence. “H-How about you?”

However, before you could respond, a third party joined the conversation. 

“Kageyama,” One of his teammates with silver hair placed a hand on the teen’s shoulder, the corners of his lips lifted into a gentle smile as he glanced between the two of you. “Who is this?”

You stared curiously at the male as Kageyama’s cheeks flushed a light pink in embarrassment, muttering a quick apology before making a quick introduction. 

“Suga-san, this is (Full Name).” You gave a small smile in acknowledgement. “She used to be the manager of my junior high’s volleyball team back when I was in the first year.”

The one whom Kageyama referred to as “Suga-san” held offered a handshake which you quickly accepted with a firm shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Sugawara Koushi and I’m the vice-captain.”

Smiling sheepishly, you finally gave a proper self-introduction. “It’s nice meeting you too. I apologise for my manner earlier on, but I’m the manager of this team.”

After exchanging pleasantries with the rest of the team, you led them towards where the Seijoh’s head coach was sitting.

“Nobu-sensei,” You called out to the older man with a small smile as you approached him. “Karasuno has arrived.”

Nobuteru rose from his seat and welcomed the group with a kind smile. “Welcome to Seijoh, I’m Nobuteru Irihata, the head coach.”

Karasuno chorused their greeting in unison before they were dismissed by Takeda, the bespectacled man who had introduced himself earlier on as their teacher-in-charge, to get ready for the practice match. 

You left the two adults to their conversation and made your way towards Mizoguchi to inform him about stopping practice so that the team could start preparing the court for the match which would start once the other team had finished their warm-up. 

While everyone was busy getting ready for the upcoming match, you tried calling Oikawa, who was still nowhere to be seen, again despite doubting he would pick up and you were right. 

Upon hearing his voicemail, you ended the call with a defeated sigh and finally gave up on ever being able to reach your friend. 

You could hope that he wasn’t lying dead somewhere in an unknown ditch and that he would make an appearance soon because if he didn’t, you were going to make your statement about Oikawa lying dead in a ditch come true. 

* * *

The whistle blew and both teams were lined up at the end of their respective sides of the court as Nobuteru proceeded to commence the game. “We will now begin the practice match of Karasuno High School versus Aobajohsai High School.”

The moment he ended, both teams bowed towards each other and called out in one loud voice. “Let’s play.”

You took your seat next to Nobuteru, pen poised and notebook opened, ready to start jotting down notes on the match. Your ears perked up when you heard whispers coming from the starter members of your team as they stood in their positions, waiting for the game to start.

“That shrimp is a middle blocker? That’s gotta be some kind of mistake.” Kindaichi’s stated which caught your attention. 

(E/C) orbs shone with curiosity as they glanced over to where the first year was looking at and sure enough, standing in the middle blocker spot was an orange-haired player who looked to be slightly taller than you by a few centimetres at most. 

_‘How interesting.’_ You wondered to yourself, watching as Karasuno’s captain placed a hand on the teen’s tense shoulder, looking as stiff as a board. _‘I’ve a feeling this practice match is gonna be nothing Seijoh has seen before.’_

The whistle blew and you broke out of your thoughts, focusing on the game happening in front of you as Matsukawa made the first serve. Within the next minute or so, it didn’t take long for Seijoh to score the first point. 

You weren’t surprised by the turnout considering Karasuno, a name you only heard in passing, was going up against a powerhouse like Seijoh. However, it was still too early to be so sure of your team’s victory since the game had only just started. 

Besides, something unexpected might happen which could change the outcome. 

As the game continued, you noticed how the orange-haired player or Hinata which you had come to learn of his name by now, was a nervous wreck on the court as he knocked into a teammate, tripped over his own feet and the final straw was crashing into the umpire chair, causing the referee to fall off. 

You winced as the chair fell onto the floor with a loud crash as some of your teammates who weren’t playing in the game rushed over to check on the referee and made sure he was alright. 

Luckily, the unfortunate referee didn’t suffer any major injury other than the red spot in the middle of his forehead where he had hit himself upon falling off and the match resumed with Seijoh one point away from winning the first set. 

You were starting to retract your statement from earlier on about Karasuno being a team one Seijoh had never seen before. 

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worst, the whistle blew and Hinata served the volleyball straight into the back of Kageyama’s head. 

The entire gym was plunged into silence, minus for the ball that landed on the wooden flooring, bounced a few times before rolling to a stop in front of Hinata. No one dared to breathe, not even your team despite winning the first set. 

The whistle blew, breaking the tense stillness. Karasuno was the first to react as two of their teammates started to tease the poor first-year who was not saying anything and just letting them poked fun of him. 

Even you couldn’t help the amused giggles escaping your lips at that sight. Although you couldn’t help worrying slightly about Hinata’s demise, knowing how Kageyama was like when things didn’t go his way. 

You might not care about gossips or rumours in general, but even the one about the setter being a tyrant king on the court didn’t escape your ears. 

Everyone watched as Kageyama approached his orange-haired teammate who looked like he was about to piss himself any time soon. He came to a stop in front of the shorter male and began hitting himself on the back of the head before yelling at him to get back to normal already. 

(E/C) eyes widened in surprise, not having expected at all but it was quickly replaced with realization over the fact that Kageyama had changed. He was no longer the dictator that everyone thought him to be and it warmed your heart to witness it first-hand yourself. 

Soon, the referee blew his whistle and the second set started. This time around, things went much more smoothly for Karasuno now that Hinata had calmed down and your interest in the team perked up once more. 

_‘I wonder who’ll score the first point in the second set,’_ You hummed thoughtfully, tapping your pen against your cheek in wonder. 

You got your answer in a very shocking manner. 

(E/C) eyes widened as the whistle sounded, indicating that Karasuno had scored a point. As their team let out a huge cheer, your team was stunned– still rooted on the spot as they tried to process what just happened. 

Your mouth had dropped wide open in disbelieving shock as you stared at Kageyama and Hinata who did the impossible. You remembered seeing the setter getting ready to toss the ball, but everything else after that was a blur. 

In the blink of an eye, Hinata was at the front of the net and the volleyball had landed on Seijoh’s side of the court with none of the members even moving a single step. 

Just like that, Karasuno scored the first point in the second set of the game. 

“Wow,” You breathed out in awe. “Did not see that coming at all.”

You weren’t the only one who felt that way as students who had come to watch the match exploded in various degrees of amazement, their voices echoing throughout the vast gym. 

After that, everyone started seeing Karasuno in a new light. 

“Huh. Who knew that Karasuno has such a strong team.” You remarked, eyes sparkling with excitement as they managed to block another one of your teammates’ spike. “Their blockers are dispersed, what an interesting strategy.”

Although, as soon as you said that, Hinata received a ball to his face which brought out an amused giggle from you. “But they make a lot of mistakes, too.”

As the freak toss-and-spike duo scored yet another point, Nobuteru decided to call for a timeout so that the team could go through a strategy to stop them. 

The shrill sound of the whistle could be heard as the referee stopped the game and the teams made their way towards their respective coaches. Placing down your notebook, you grabbed a few bottles and towels before handing them out to your teammates who wore a troubled expression on their faces. 

“Hey, Kindaichi.” You turned your head towards Yahaba who had approached the first year, a confused frown on his face. “Kageyama isn’t like you said.”

“I-I wasn’t expecting that, either.” Kindaichi stammered. “I can’t believe there’s a spiker who can synch with his reckless tosses.” 

Nobuteru, who had been observing the match in contemplated silence, finally spoke up. “I don’t think so.” 

All heads turned towards him as he went on, his mouth set into a serious frown. “#5 isn’t looking at the ball at all.”

There was a pause as everyone let the words sank in, but they still didn’t understand. So, Kindaichi was the one who asked, “Coach, what do you mean?”

“I think Kageyama pinpoint-tossed the ball directly where he was about to swing,” Nobuteru answered. 

_‘Is that even possible? I’ve never heard of such thing before.’_ You furrowed your brows, still trying to comprehend it while Iwaizumi voiced out your thought. “Is that kind of thing possible?”

Meanwhile, Kindaichi looked like he didn’t believe that such a thing could even exist. “Kageyama? Matching someone else?”

He exchanged a look of uncertainty with Kunimi as Nobuteru came to a conclusion about Hinata. “That can only mean that #5 can make that self-centred and prideful Kageyama do what he’s been doing. What’s amazing is that he jumps believing in Kageyama 100%. He believes that’s where the ball will come.”

“So, it’s kinda like Hajime and Tooru.” You murmured. “The ability to put your trust in someone else wholeheartedly without even doubting them one bit at all.”

Seijoh’s head coach nodded his head in agreement before turning back to the five members who were playing with words of advice and encouragement. “If they get past your block, receive solidly. You’re all the best members of our team. Show your pride.”

“Yes!” The group chorused in unison.

The corners of your lips lifted into a cheeky grin as you winked at them, saying, “This shows that we don’t need Tooru, our useless captain who’s still missing, to be there for us to win a game. So, go out there and do your best!”

Your words earned a few rounds of amused chuckles from your teammates, instantly lifting up their moods as they returned to court and the game continued. 

Chuckling, you sat back down and was joined by Nobuteru who sat down with a heavy sigh. From beside him, Mizoguchi glanced down at the older man and whispered, “Kageyama is amazing. It’s a shame we couldn’t have him on our team. He did get invited, didn’t he?”

Glancing up, Nobuteru’s gaze glanced over to the court where Kageyama and Hinata were and answered, “Yeah, but even if Kageyama had come to our team, that doesn’t mean he would’ve played like that.” 

“Huh?” Mizoguchi questioned, not understanding his superior’s words. 

However, you did. 

“I think Tobio-kun is how he is now because of Karasuno, and because of Hinata, the #5 player.” You replied, a fond smile shaping your lips as you stared at the duo bickering despite the game was about to start.

“O-Oh,” Mizoguchi responded, unsure of what else to say. 

With that, the whistle blew and the second set picked up from where it was left. However, a certain person had still yet to make an appearance. 

**Time skipped**

The whistle blew and Karasuno had won the second set and Oikawa was still missing. Both the coaches had grown frustrated as the opposite team kept taking them by surprise, especially the orange-haired player.

At first, they thought Karasuno was probably just another mundane school team since Seijoh had never heard of them before. However, after seeing them play, they came to the realization that they had been fooled by them. 

Karasuno was a team like no others that Seijoh had seen before and they were dangerous. 

You let out a sigh as you finished writing down that thought in your notebook for future reference, especially if your team had to play against Karasuno again in an official game which wasn’t so far off considering Interhigh was just two months away from now. 

As the team returned to the benches to rest up for a bit and get ready for the final set, loud screams suddenly filled the gym. 

You didn’t even have to turn around from where you were having a conversation with Iwaizumi to see who had attracted all the attention because there was only one person in this entire school who was capable of making the entire female student body screamed their lungs off like this.

“Unbelievable,” You hissed through gritted teeth, clenching your hands into a tight fist out of restrained anger. “This idiot finally decides to show his ass after we’ve played two full sets?? I’m gonna kill his ass after this!”

Iwaizumi, being the good friend that he was, decided to offer his help. “Let me know how I can help you.”

The sinister grin on your face was promising as you replied, “Oh, I’ll definitely let you know. Oikawa Tooru is never gonna see the light of day again after we’re through with him.”

Meanwhile, said person was occupied with the head coach asking about his sprained ankle the other day that he missed the conversation of his best friends plotting his murder behind his back. 

“Oikawa, you’re back.” Nobuteru glanced over in surprise at the brunette before asking, “How’s the ankle?”

The setter held up an “ok” sign, an easy smile on his face as he replied, “It’s fine. I can get back to regular practice. It was just a slight sprain.”

“For crying out loud! Be careful.” The older man told his star player off, frowning in disapproval. “You’re the one that asked to play against Kageyama. What do we do without our official setter? It’s embarrassing.” 

Rubbing the back of his head, Oikawa apologised with a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry.”

You let out a small snort, knowing that the volleyball player wasn’t one bit apologetic at all. “What an asshole.”

Iwaizumi chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement when he heard the annoyance in your voice. 

Just then, from above the viewing stand, a group of girls called out Oikawa’s name, catching his attention as he turned to wave at them and earning loud squeals in return. 

Irk marks appeared on your face and your fists tightened, nails digging into your skin as you hold back the urge to throttle the playboy to death in front of his fangirls who had front-row seat to the show. 

Maybe you should give them the satisfaction of having a full view as you murdered their beloved prince right there and then. 

The corners of Iwaizumi’s lips curled into a knowing smirk, taking the opportunity to tease you. “I thought you should be used to it by now. So, why the sudden jealously?”

You immediately froze at having caught red-handed as your cheeks slowly turned a light shade of pink before snapping out of it, scowling at your best friend. “S-Shut up! I’m not jealous! Why should I be jealous of those girls whom I don’t even know?? I’ll just be wasting my time.”

“Sure,” The ace dragged out the words, his smirk widening. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass, Hajime!” You growled in a finalized tone, your eyes twitching at the thin thread of patience waiting to burst. 

Iwaizumi simply shrugged before turning away to address the team for the upcoming final set. 

You pinched the bridge of your nose and took in a deep breath, willing the flush on your face to disappear before someone saw it and started questioning which was the last thing you want to deal with. 

After you had calm down, you approached Oikawa who had finally spotted his underclassman on the other side of the court. He was wearing that fake smile of his as he greeted the first year with a wave of his hand.

“Yoo-hoo! Long time no see, Tobio-chan.”

A low growl tore through your throat as you marched over to the annoying piece of shit, slapping his raised hand in warning. “Tooru! What I did tell you about playing nice with Tobio-kun?”

“Ow, (Name)-chan,” Oikawa whined and rubbed his hand, the bottom of his lips stuck out into a small pout. “I didn’t even do anything. All I did was just said hi. Is there something wrong with greeting an old friend?”

(E/C) eyes narrowed into a warning glare, silently sending a message that the teen better be on his best behaviour or else. “I better not see you not try to do anything out there while playing, mister.”

Oikawa immediately stiffened and raised a hand in salutation. “Yes, sir!”

Nodding your head in satisfaction, you left to go and retrieve another sports bib for the brunette who was sent away by Nobuteru to warm up as everyone got ready for the final set. 

As the referee blew his whistle, the match started with Karasuno serving first. Meanwhile, you made a quick stop at the bench to grab Oikawa’s bottle before heading over towards the side of the court where he had just finished warming up. 

Chocolate orbs immediately lit up with delight when they landed on your approaching figure, a smile beginning to shape his lips as he called your name. “(Name)-chan! Just the person I wanted to see!”

You rolled your eyes and threw the sports bib into his face, scowling. “You’re the last face I want to see right now.”

Oikawa removed the bib from his face and let out a childish whine, pouting. “Why are you so mean? I thought I’m your favourite person.”

“We shall see if you’re still my favourite person after I burnt that perfect hair of yours, Shittykawa!” You hissed and aimed the bottle directly in the third year. “Make sure you drink up before you play.”

Much to your dismay, Oikawa managed to catch the bottle before it hit him in the first and there was a teasing glint in his eyes as he cooed at you. “Aww, you do love me.”

Deciding he wasn’t worth another of your precious time, you ignored him and turned on your heels, returning to your role as the manager. 

Oikawa let out an amused chuckle and donned on the sports bib, clicking his tongue in mild irritation when he saw the number painted in white wasn’t the official number that he wore. Well, some sacrifices had to be made for wanting to make a dramatic entrance. 

Picking up his bottle, he made his way back to where his team’s coaches and manager were seated at. 

“Oh my. We’re in a crisis.” The captain of Seijoh stated as his gaze slid over to the scoreboard where Karasuno was already at match point with Seijoh having a low chance to win the entire match since they were four points behind them. 

You didn’t acknowledge his presence and fixed your focus on the game in front of you. Nobuteru was the one who addressed the brunette with a frown on his face. “Did you get warmed up?”

“Perfectly,” Oikawa replied and the head coach gestured to the referee for a switch in players. 

The screams of his fangirls returned tenfold as Kunimi was swapped out, exchanging a high five as he smiled reassuringly at the first year. “Leave the rest to your senpai.”

When Oikawa made his way to the end of the court, he turned took a deep breathe and released it, the corners of his lip lifting into an easy, but confident smile. 

“No matter how strong your offence is…It means nothing if you can’t connect to it.” He commented before lifting the hand holding onto the volleyball and pointing to a blonde player wearing glasses on the opposite team. 

“What a dramatic king,” You grumbled as Oikawa threw the ball into the air and did his famous monster serve, the ball aiming towards the bespectacled blond who was unable to receive at the speed it was going. 

Instead, the volleyball hit his upper arm and from the force alone, it flew upwards to the stand it narrowly missed two spectators. 

The whistle blew and Seijoh finally scored a point in a long while. You rolled your eyes at the brunette’s love for showing off, but even then, you couldn’t help the small smile appearing on your lips as your team let out a huge cheer. 

No matter how much of an annoying asshole Oikawa Tooru might be, he really deserved the position of being Seijoh’s team captain with his strong leadership and bringing out the best in all his teammates. 

* * *

By the time the practice match between Seijoh and Karasuno ended with the latter winning the final set and overall the entire match, the sky was painted in streaks of purple and pink. After thanking each other for the friendly game, you left the gym to look for Oikawa who had disappeared immediately after the match had ended while your team stayed behind for some extra practice. 

“Where is that shitty ass?” You cursed the brunette’s name as you searched for his whereabouts behind around the gym, thinking he had gone out to entertain his group of fangirls who had probably hung back after the match to sing high praises to their prince. 

You grumbled in annoyance at the thought of it, complaining about how it would just inflate the third year’s already huge ego which could really do without those unnecessary compliments. 

When you didn’t even see a single shadow of your friend, you paused in your searching and decided to rethink where the male could possibly go. 

“Son of a gun!” You growled when you finally figured out and hurried over to the school’s main gate, praying that you weren’t too late. 

You were panting for air when you rounded the main building block, your eyes instantly looking out for Oikawa. They widened in horror when they landed on the group gathered in front of the school gate, Seijoh’s white tracksuit standing out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of black. 

You could feel the thick tension between Oikawa and the Karasuno from where you were standing as Oikawa stared at them, particularly at Kageyama with that flippant smirk of his. Cursing his name to hell and back, you hurried over before things turned south between the idiot you called your best friend and your underclassman. 

“Tooru!” You called out his name, your mouth turned down into a scowl. “You better not be creating trouble for Seijoh or else I’ll skin you alive!”

Oikawa glanced up from where he was having an intense staring competition with Kageyama, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of his childhood friend coming over with a livid expression. 

He immediately pulled up an innocent smile when you came to a stop in front of him, ignoring the pointed glare aimed his way. “Don’t worry, (Name)-chan. I’m not doing anything, I’m just here to see them off as the captain.”

You narrowed your eyes in suspicion, not believing a single word he said. Turning around so that you were facing Karasuno who was looking on in curiosity, you apologized on behalf of Oikawa in case he might have said some unnecessary stuff as usual.

“Please ignore whatever this idiot said. His words are usually full of trash.” Said person let out an offended “hey” which you promptly ignored, continuing with a small smile. “It may not seem like it, but my team really enjoy playing against your team. It’s completely refreshing to play with a team who plays differently from most teams we have gone up against.”

Karasuno’s vice-captain, the one who introduced himself as Sugawara from earlier on, stepped forward and waved off your apology with a gentle smile. “No worries, (L/)-san. Just like Oikawa-san said, he just here to see us off.”

You let out a chuckle, finding it impossible to stay mad talking to someone as friendly and nice as the silver-haired teen, a complete opposite of someone you knew. “Please, call me (Name), Sugawara-san. I don’t mind it at all.”

The smile on Sugawara’s face widened and his eyes sparkled with glee at the idea of making a new friend from another school. “Then, please call me Suga. It’s what most of my friends call me.”

“Oh,” Your cheeks flushed a light pink, your heart thrilling at the prospect of having a new friend, especially one so handsome and kind like Sugawara. “Of course. Why don’t we exchange numbers?”

This was a start to a beautiful and meaningful friendship as the two of you exchanged contacts before promising to text each other tonight. You were glowing with happiness as you glanced down at the new contact “Suga-san” in your contact list, (e/c) eyes sparkling with excitement.

Oikawa, on the other hand, was frowning, his brows furrowing with discontent. He had come out here to have a talk with his rival to have a fill of his satisfaction, but instead, one of his best friends had made friends with one of his teammates. 

With a forced grin plastered on his face, he snaked an arm around your shoulder and glanced down at Hinata. “You, little one.”

“Huh?” The orange-haired player stiffened, not expecting Seijoh’s captain to call him out. 

Chuckling, Oikawa went on. “Your last one-touch and broad attack were amazing.”

“Oh…” Hinata mumbled, his cheeks flushing a light pink as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. 

You watched your friend with narrowed eyes, knowing he wasn’t done talking just yet and you were right when chocolate orbs darkened as he turned to address Karasuno with an arrogant smirk. “Let’s give it all we got the next time, right from the start.”

 _‘Sending them off as the team captain? What a load of bullshit!’_ You fumed silently, your hands curling in on themselves to form clenched fists, your blood boiling with anger beneath your skin. 

You remained silent, a shadow falling over your face as Oikawa continued. “You didn’t get to see our set up. Oh, yes, and we’ll be improving our serves, too. It’s true, your offence was amazing, but your receives are slow. You’ll reach your limit very quickly.”

“I’m not the only who hits powerful serves. The Inter-High preliminaries are coming up soon. Don’t get eliminated, okay? Because I…” You watched as Oikawa shoved his hands into his track pants’ pockets, his posture laid-back but filled with confidence as he walked past the team before coming to a stop in front of Kageyama. 

He raised a hand and pointed at the first year, his eyes glimmering with loath as he made an exclamation. “…want to pulverize my dear underclassman, setter-on-setter, in an official match.”

“The receivers will train.” Hinata rushed forward and declared, clutching onto the tracksuit of his blonde teammate who irritatingly said, “Hey, let go.”

“Receivers don’t improve overnight.” Oikawa tilted his head over and mockingly raised his brow before walking off, adding, “Ask the captain. He should know. There’s not much time left ‘til the tournament. I look forward to seeing you there.” 

There was a tense silence as Karasuno stared at the brunette’s retreating back, their eyes boring holes into the back of his head. You were trembling with rage, having an urge to go over and knocked some sense into your friend about having manners. 

However, first, you had to apologize to Kageyama and his team. 

Although, your underclassman beat you to it first as he turned to his captain and tried to explain on behalf of his useless senior. “Don’t let him get to you. He likes to razz people like that.” 

Releasing a terse sigh, you approached Kageyama and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling gently at him. “It’s alright, Tobio-kun. You don’t have to be responsible for anything that Tooru does or says. It’s my job. I’m his friend after all.”

“But—” The first year opened his mouth to protest but you squeezed his shoulder in a silent reassurance before making a deep bow towards Karasuno, apologizing on behalf of Oikawa. “I’m really sorry about that. It was very rude of him to say such stuff, especially towards a guest team. Please don’t take his words to heart.”

A frown slipped onto Sugawara’s face as he hurried forward and placed both hands on your shoulders, telling you there was no need for all these unnecessary formalities. “(Name)-san, it’s alright. None of us is upset by what he said, instead it makes us more determined to practice harder so that we can prove him wrong at the upcoming Inter-High.”

Sighing in relief, you straightened your body and fixed the kind third year a grateful smile, thanking him for his understanding. “I’m glad to hear. Even though your team has areas for improvement, all of you are filled with potential and I can’t wait to see that bloom when Seijoh and Karasuno play against each other again at Inter-High.”

After exchanging farewells with Sugawara and wishing his team all the best in their training, you apologised once more for not being able to see them off, which they assured you it was alright, before making your way back to the gym where a certain brunette better prayed for mercy to a whatever god was willing to hear him. 

Because once you got your hands on Oikawa Tooru, no one would be able to save him anymore. 

**Time skipped**

“Oikawa Tooru!” 

Said person winced as his name echoed throughout the gym, stopping everyone as they turned their heads towards the source of the yell and wondered what their captain did this time round to piss off their manager that badly. 

Iwaizumi, who was standing next to him, ended his conversation with his best friend and turned to look at him with narrowed eyes, hissing, “What did you do now, Shittykawa?!”

“I…I…Eek!” Oikawa stammered, only to let out a squeal when he noticed your approaching figure and immediately hid behind his ace, using him as a human shield. “Iwa-chan, protect me! (Name)-chan’s gonna kill me!”

However, his cries of help fell on deaf ears as Iwaizumi held up his hands in surrender and stepped to the side, shaking his head. “Nope, you’re not getting out of this one. I don’t know what you did, but this is the final straw. (Name) has been tearing her hair out in frustration over you for the whole day and she has the right to take it out on you.”

Without waiting for a reply, he walked off, not wanting to be a part of this. 

Oikawa let out a whine, begging for the other to come back but he was being ignored. He froze when you finally came to a stop in front of him, his eyes widening with genuine fear for once. 

A shiver crawled his spine as he awaited whatever punishment you decided to bestow upon him, the anticipation killing him when you remained stock-still, not saying a single word. 

Swallowing the lump stuck in his throat, he shifted uncomfortably and tried for a smile which came out awkward as he stammered, “(N-Name)-chan, I see you’ve made a new friend today. Isn’t that nice?”

Clenching your fists, (e/c) eyes burning with restrained fury snapped up to meet frightened ones, snarling, “Don’t try to change the subject, Tooru!”

Oikawa flinched, yet said nothing, knowing that if he did, it would just upset you even more which was the last thing he wanted to do. He might be a piece of shit, but even he knew his boundaries. 

This time, he had taken it too far and he hung his head in shame. 

You opened your mouth, all that you wanted to say was ready to spill out but when you saw how quiet Oikawa was, the anger instantly dissipated and was replaced with sudden tiredness. 

Instead, you let out a defeated sigh and rubbed your forehead as though you were having a headache, muttering about how you should rethink your life choices. 

Oikawa glanced up from where he was staring at his shoes when he noticed how you hadn’t said anything yet. Risking his safety, he questioned meekly, “(Name)-chan, you’re really quiet. Are you still mad at me?”

“I am supposed to be mad at you, but you’re making it very difficult for me to do so.” You grumbled, glancing away with crossed arms as brown eyes lit up with hope. “Don’t get your hopes up, Shittykawa.”

The teen winced upon hearing his infamous nickname. “Alright, I deserved that.”

“Glad you know that.” You grunted, but there was no heat to it. In fact, a small smile was beginning to shape your lips. 

Oikawa’s smile was apologetic when he pulled you into a tight hug and muttered into your hair. “I’m really sorry about that just now, but I really can’t help it. I know you don’t agree, however, it’s my dislike for him that pushes me to further better myself and I need that even if you and Iwa-chan say otherwise.”

Sighing, you wrapped both arms around his upper torso and replied, “Why can’t you see how skilled and talented of a player you already are, Tooru. Sure, improving oneself is important because even the best of the bests do it. I just wish this isn’t your reason for becoming a better person.”

The player just hummed, indicating he heard you but no words left his mouth and you didn’t try to convince him otherwise, knowing it would be fruitless. Oikawa Tooru was just stubborn like that. 

Seconds passed as the two of you stood there in each other’s embrace, enjoying the comfortable silence before Oikawa took a step back and glanced down with a hopeful smile. “Am I forgiven, (Name)-chan?”

You released your hold on him but was still within his personal space as you answered teasingly. “I will if you buy me three pork buns after practice.”

“One.” Oikawa negotiated, the grin on his face growing. “You know how broke I am, (Name)-chan.”

“Whose fault is that?” You snorted. “If you didn’t spend so much money on all those useless beauty products, you won’t be broke.”

“Hey!” The setter let out an offended cry. “How else do you think I’m supposed to maintain this work of art?”

Clicking your tongue, your offer was final as you held up two fingers. “Two pork buns or you can forget about it.”

“Fine!” He finally conceded, earning a smug smirk from you. 

Oikawa Tooru was a piece of shit, but he was your lovable piece of shit and you wouldn’t change it for the world.


	7. Oikawa-Sensei

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (l/f/s) = least favourite subject

**Chapter 6 - Oikawa-Sensei**

**May**

The first day of the week was usually a rest day for Seijoh’s Boys Volleyball team which meant there were no morning and afternoon practices, leaving the members to do as they pleased on their off days. 

Usually, you would spend your off days hanging out with Hayami after school as this was the only day your free since most of the time you were busy with volleyball on weekdays and spending time with Iwaizumi and Oikawa over the weekends. 

However, today was an exception as the black-haired girl had to help her mother ran some errands. So, you would be joining Oikawa and the rest who had decided to have a study session together after school since some of them had tests coming up within the next two weeks. 

Besides, you could also really use some extra help in (l/f/s) which was your weakest subject and you were falling behind on some of the topics as you had been busy with manager duties in the busy month of April. 

The moment the bell rang and the last period came to end, you immediately packed your bag, bid farewell to Hayami and were off to the school library where everyone else was probably already at. 

You slowed down once you arrived and being mindful of the other patrons, you quietly opened the glass door and made your way towards the study area of the library. Sure enough, your friends were already there with their studying notes and materials all out, occupying the entire table in the back. 

Your lips lifted into a small smile at the sight, happy that they had chosen your favourite place in the entire library. The reason why you said that was because the sun always hit that area no matter what time of the day and it also provided the best view of the school field usually filled with students hanging out on the bleachers or having their club activities. 

Oikawa was the first to notice your presence, chocolate orbs lighting up with delight as he glanced up from his work and got up from his seat, walking over to you. 

“(Name)-chan! You came!” He whisper-shouted since he was in the library, after all, a wide grin on his face as he pulled you into a quick hug before releasing you and bringing you over to the empty seat opposite of him. 

“O-Of course I did.” You replied with a low chuckle and greeted the rest of your friends as you took your seat. “Hey, guys.”

Hanamaki and Matsukawa chorused their greetings in return before turning back to focus on their homework while Iwaizumi, who was seated next to you, moved his things slightly so that you had more space to put your stuff. 

You turned to give your black-haired friend a grateful smile for his thoughtful action. “Thanks, Hajime.”

The third-year waved off your thanks, saying, “You don’t have to thank me for this kind of small things, (Name). How many times I’ve told you that?”

Chuckling, you replied, “I know but it’s just a force of habit.”

Iwaizumi shook his head in fond exasperation and simply smiled before focusing on his work once more. It looked like he was reviewing the science mock quiz he was telling you about the other day and you left him to it. 

Humming quietly beneath your breath, you began to take out the homework assigned today as well as your notes for (l/f/s) to go through later which brought a slight grimace to your face at the thought of it. 

Oikawa, who was scrolling through his phone instead of studying as he should be, perked up when he noticed your sour expression. Putting the device aside, he leaned forward with one arm on the table and rested his chin on his open palm, his lips lifted into a knowing grin. 

“You know, glaring at your notes isn’t gonna help in passing the test.” 

Your head immediately shot up and a light pink settled on your cheeks from being caught red-handed, stammering, “W-What? O-Of course not, I’m just thinking of which topics I need to revise on. That’s all!”

“Sure, you are.” The brunette teasingly replied, dragging out his words. 

“Bleh!” You stuck your tongue out in a childish manner, neither denying nor agreeing your friend’s statement. 

Laughing, Oikawa reached a hand across the table and ruffled your hair. “If you call me Oikawa-sensei, I’ll help you in your study.”

You smacked his hand away with a glare while Iwaizumi let out a snort and muttered beneath his breath, “Says the one who fails his recent mock quiz.”

“Hey!” The volleyball player let out an offended cry whereas an amused giggle left your lips. “It’s just that one quiz. Besides, it’s a surprise quiz that sensei spring on us. So, it doesn’t count!”

He crossed his arms and turned his head away, sticking his nose into the air with his bottom lips stuck out into a pout. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, grumbled some nonsense and focused on his work once more, choosing to ignore his childhood friend’s childish manner. 

Chuckling, you decided to indulge in Oikawa and besides, even though he might not look like it, the teen actually had good grades for all his subject and always made time to study despite his busy volleyball schedule. 

(E/C) eyes twinkled as you gave the setter your best puppy dog eyes and reached across the table to tug on his shirt to get his attention. “Oikawa-sensei, please tutor this humble student of yours.”

Oikawa cracked an eye opened and raised a brow, trying to act like he was still upset despite you could see him fighting to keep the edge of his mouth from curling up. He lost the battle in the end when a giant grin broke out, turning to his vice-captain with a smug expression. 

“See Iwa-chan, people do recognise my intelligence like (Name)-chan here for example. Maybe you can learn a thing or two from Oikawa-sensei’s tutoring as well.” 

Instead of responding to the third year, Iwaizumi’s lips were curled into a frown and said, “(Name), it doesn’t hurt to say no to Shittykawa, you know that right? You don’t always have to give in to his whims.”

In the background, said person let out an indignant cry which both of you ignored as you replied with an amused grin. “I know Hajime, but I really do need help on (l/f/s) which is my weakest subject and more so with the upcoming quiz this week. Besides, Tooru does know his stuff.”

His gaze slid over to the brunette who noticed and instantly stuck his tongue out, apparently having heard what you said, his frown deepening and turned back to you, saying, “Fine, but if he gives you trouble, let me know and I’ll beat the shit out of him.”

You giggled at his threat. “Don’t worry, Hajime. I’ll definitely let you know.”

Nodding his head in satisfaction, Iwaizumi gave his attention to Matsukawa who was having some trouble with his homework. Smiling, you turned to Oikawa who was sulking like the big baby that he was. 

“Y’all are so mean.” He pouted. “Always talking about wanting to hit me as though I’m not there which I am, by the way in case you’ve forgotten.”

You shook your head in fond exasperation, saying, “It’s just how Hajime shows his affections to those he cares about. Besides, you should know by now he never means any of them unless you give him a reason too.”

“But—” Oikawa was about to protest, but you cut him off. 

“Are you gonna help me or not?” You asked with a raised brow. “If not, I’ll ask Hajime to tutor me instead.”

“What about us?” Hanamaki suddenly spoke up, pointing to both himself and Matsukawa. “Why are we not included?”

There was a moment of silence as you fixed them a deadpan stare before replying bluntly, “Hiro-kun, you’re good at volleyball and all, but studies aren’t just your thing.”

“Ouch,” Matsukawa wore a shit-eating grin, but it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared when it was his turn to hear the truth. 

“You too, Issei-kun. So don’t get too smug.” 

The black-haired teen opened his mouth to respond, but found no words and so, he simply shut his mouth and returned to his homework while Hanamaki was snickering non-stopped besides him. 

Your chuckles joined in as you took your (l/f/s) from your to-do pile and turned to Oikawa who had been watching his friends’ exchange with amusement dancing in his eyes, one corner of his lips lifted into a small smirk. 

“Tooru, shall we get started?” You asked, holding up your notes in front of your face with a slight tilt of your head. 

With that, the next two hours were spent in peaceful quietness with the occasional murmurings as Tooru went over your notes on (l/f/s) with you while the rest focused on their own school work. 

**Time skipped**

“Argh!”

You paused in doing your homework and glanced up in curiosity when you heard the frustrated groan coming from Oikawa. 

You raised a brow in question. “What’s the matter, Tooru?”

The volleyball player’s face was buried in his arms which was resting on the table, another muffled groan leaving his lips in response. 

Reaching forward, you used the back of your mechanical pencil to poke him in the head, a small smile on your face. “Do you wanna take a break from studying?”

It was like your question was the magic word because, in the next second, Oikawa instantly perked up and grabbed the hand that was poking him, leaning into your personal space with sparkling chocolate eyes. 

“Can we?” He eagerly asked, looking very much like a puppy. 

You blinked your eyes, startled by his sudden change in mood and hesitantly replied, “S-Sure. I’m thinking of getting a drink from the vending machine downstairs. Wanna come along?”

Oikawa nodded his head so fast that he reminded you of a bobblehead doll, earning an endearing smile from you. Chuckling, you said, “Alright, let’s go.”

“Yay!” The brunette cheered and stood up from his chair before heading towards the library’s exit with a skip in his steps, humming a happy tune beneath his breath. 

You stood up as well and grabbed your wallet and phone before turning to the rest, asking if they would like anything. “I’m gonna run down to buy some drinks with Tooru. Do y’all want anything?”

Iwaizumi shook his head while Hanamaki and Matsukawa chorused their choices and with a quick “be back in a minute”, you made your way towards the exit where Oikawa was waiting impatiently. 

“Hurry up, (Name)-chan! Why are you so slow?” He whined, bouncing on his feet. 

Laughing, you replied with a fond smile. “I was asking the rest if they wanted anything. Hajime doesn’t want anything while Issei-kun wants chocolate milk and Hiro-kun wants green tea.”

“Urgh, who drinks green tea cold? It tastes disgusting.” Oikawa wrinkled his nose in distaste over his light-haired friend’s choice of drink. “Makki needs a lesson on proper tea drinking.”

“Now, now, don’t judge what other people like to eat or drink when you are obsessed with milk bread.” You chastised your best friend, but there wasn’t any heat in your tone. 

A loud, offending gasp escaped the milk bread lover’s lips as he turned on his heels and marched up towards you, his arms flailing about as he defended his beloved pastry. “(Name)-chan, how dare you! Milk bread is on another beloved—Hey, don’t just walk off like that!”

Cackles fell from your lips as Oikawa shouted when he realized you had walked off in the middle of his passionate speech about how awesome milk bread was, the corners of your lips lifting into a smug grin. 

“Rude,” The brunette grumbled when he caught up to you, falling in steps with your strides. 

You simply shrugged, not the least bit guilty for your action. “Eh, I’ll live.”

The rest of the trip to vending machine was filled with silence as Oikawa sulked all the way there and you eventually kind of felt bad for being a little mean to him. So, with a sigh, you decided to make it up to him by offering to buy his drink for him. 

“What do you want?” You mumbled while digging through your wallet for coins, refusing to meet those sorrowful chocolate orbs which would only make you feel worst. “It’s my treat.”

You didn’t have to look to see the brightened expression on your friend’s face because you could hear the happiness in his voice as he said, “Really?!”

Chuckling at the image of flowers and sparkles spewing out from Oikawa like in a cartoon show, you met his gaze with a small smile. “Yes, Tooru. Now, what do you feel like drinking today?”

“Banana milk!” The setter was quick to reply. 

“One banana milk coming right up,” You inserted the right amount into the vending machine, selected the drink and waited for a few seconds as the packet tumbled into the takeout port before bending down to retrieve it. 

You turned to the overexcited teen and held out the packet of banana milk. “Here you go.”

Chocolate orbs practically sparkled as he accepted the drink with a beaming smile that reached the corners of his eyes. “Thank you, (Name)-chan! You’re the best!”

As Oikawa tore open the straw and stabbed it into the small hole on the packet, you bought your own choice of drink as well as the requested ones for your other friends. Both of you decided to hang around for a while more as you had a go at your (f/d). 

Other than the sounds of slurping, a comfortable silence fell over the two teens as they finished up their drinks. With a satisfied sigh, you crushed the packet and tossed it into the nearby bin, followed by Oikawa when he was done as well. 

“Let’s head back. Makki and Mattsun are probably wondering what’s taking their drinks so long to arrive.” The volleyball player glanced down at your shorter figure with a small smile. 

You nodded your head and opened your mouth, wanting to ask the brunette something that you had thought of while sipping on your drink, but then, you hesitated; a bit nervous to say it out loud. 

Your stomach was filled with butterflies nerves because the question on the tip of your tongue might appear as weird to your childhood friend since it was never done before. 

Oikawa noticed the anxious look on your face, prompting him to furrow his brows in slight concern as he asked, “(Name)-chan, is everything alright? You seem a bit worried about something.”

“O-Oh, it’s n-nothing.” You stammered and tried to change the subject, having lost your courage to say what you wanted before. “Let’s head back before the rest wonders what’s taking us so long.”

However, Oikawa didn’t fall for it and instead, pushed for more. Letting out a small whine, he said, “Come on, (Name)-chan, tell me! Since when do you keep secrets from me? We always tell each other everything ever since we’re kids. So, please tell me!”

You tried to resist the puppy eyes sent your way, but you were struggling when Oikawa enlarged his eyes and his bottom lips stuck out more, looking very much like a puppy denied its favourite treat. 

Eventually, you lost your will and gave in. “Dammit, Tooru! You know I can never say no to you whenever you give me those eyes!”

“I know. That’s why I used it.” Oikawa answered with a smirk, his expression changed just like that – in a blink of an eye. 

“I hate you,” You grumbled and the smug grin on the teen’s face widened because he knew you didn’t mean it which only served to annoy you more, having an urge to punch him in his handsome face. 

“So,” The brunette dragged out the word as he nudged your sides with his elbow. “Are you gonna tell me or not?”

The nerves from before returned and you bit your lips in hesitation, wanting to ask but too afraid to do so. Then, you were reminded of your goal about confessing to Oikawa by the end of your third year in high school and steeled yourself to just get on with it. 

Taking in a deep breath to calm your racing your heart, you finally plucked up the courage to ask, “Iwaswonderingifyou’llliketohaveanotherstudysessionthisweekendwithjustyouandme!”

Oikawa blinked his eyes once, then twice before furrowing his eyebrows in confusion since he caught none of that. Holding up a finger, he said, “Do you mind repeating that again, but at a slower speed?”

“R-Right, sorry about that.” You mumbled, rubbing the back of your head sheepishly and repeated your question. “I was wondering if you’ll like to have another study session this weekend with just the both of us. I’ve another quiz coming up next Tuesday and after your help today, I realize I’m able to understand the materials better. So I thought maybe you can tutor me again.”

Chocolate orbs widened slightly and his lips stretched into a huge grin as the setter grabbed your shoulders and leaned into your face. “(Name)-chan, that’s a great idea! We haven’t hung out together in a while ever since school started and was busy with volleyball.”

Your eagerness mirrored the brunette’s excitement, replying, “That’s awesome! We can discuss the details over the week—"

“We should invite Iwa-chan, Makki and Mattsun as well!” Oikawa interrupted, cutting you off mid-sentence. “All of us haven’t gone out together since last winter break. It’ll be super fun with all five of us!”

“But!” You protested yet didn’t finish the rest of your words when you realized the brown-haired teen wasn’t paying attention as he went on about how much fun the study session was going to be. 

_‘But I just wanted it to be the two of us.’_ You thought to yourself silently instead as Oikawa grabbed your hand and headed back to the library while suggesting different places where everyone could study and being oblivious to the small frown on your face. 

A defeated sigh left your lips when the rest of your friends agreed to have a study session together at the new café near the school this coming Saturday. While the rest was talking about it, you only had one thought going through your mind. 

_‘Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut instead.’_

* * *

“I’m home!” You exclaimed, removing your shoes and placing them neatly onto the shoe-shelf sitting by the entrance to the house. 

As you entered the living room, you greeted your father, who was watching the evening news on the television, with a quick peck to his right cheek. “Hey Dad, how’s your day at work today?”

Chuckling, he reached a hand up to pat your head, responding with a small smile. “It was okay, didn’t have much work to do. How about you kiddo?”

You leaned into his touch, your eyes closing for a moment to enjoy the nice gesture before they opened once more. “Same as usual. I studied with my friends after school and Tooru tutored me since I have an (l/f/s) test coming up this week.”

“That’s nice of him.” Your father said and you hummed in agreement. “Your mother’s currently preparing dinner in the kitchen. It’ll still be a while more before it’s ready. So, why don’t you head up to your room and freshen up? I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”

You thanked him and made your way upstairs to your bedroom, but not before dropping by the kitchen to give your mother a quick greeting which she returned with an absentminded wave of her wooden spoon; too busy with her cooking. 

The moment you entered your room, you threw your school bag onto your bed and faceplanted onto your pillow where you proceeded to scream into it – needing the release after Oikawa went ahead to ruin your plan. 

“Goddammit, Tooru! You piece of shit!” Your yells were muffled by your pillow as you continued to curse your best friend. “How do you expect me to be able to make any progress in my love life when you pull shit like this! Argh!”

Flipping onto your back, you removed your pillow from your face and hugged it to your chest, the corners of your eyes drooping into a wry smile. “You know for a person who receives love confessions from girls every other day, shouldn’t Tooru be able to tell when someone has feelings for him?”

 _‘Or maybe he just sees me as a friend and nothing more.’_ You silently thought, too afraid to voice it out. 

A wistful sigh left your lips. 

Suddenly, your phone ringtone filled your room, snapping you out of your inner musings. Sitting upright, you grabbed your school bag and dug through it until you found your phone. 

You glanced at the light-up screen in curiosity and wondered who had called you. It turned out to be Iwaizumi which you quickly accepted, thinking it must be something important since the teen hardly call, preferring to text. 

“Hajime, is something wrong?” You jumped straight in without so much as saying a “hello.” 

Low chuckles came from the other end of the line which was not what you were expecting at all and sat there in confusion as the black-haired male responded, _“Hello to you too, (Name).”_

Your cheeks flushed a light pink in embarrassment, rubbing the back of your head sheepishly when you remembered your friend couldn’t see you. Clearing your throat, you replied, “Sorry about that Hajime. It’s just that usually you’ll simply text me instead of calling unless it’s urgent.”

 _“Well,”_ Iwaizumi began with all earlier traces of amusement gone. _“I’m calling to check up on you.”_

You furrowed your brows upon hearing the concern in your friend’s voice, not understand what he was saying. “Huh? I’m fine, I’m not sick or anything. Besides, you just saw me not long ago.”

 _“That isn’t what I meant.”_ Iwaizumi sighed. _“Did that idiot do something to upset you again? I noticed you were rather quiet after both of you came back from buying drinks. So, I put two together and came to the conclusion something must have happened at the vending machine.”_

“You always know us so well.” You smiled and threw yourself back so that you were lying faceup, gazing up at your ceiling covered in glow-in-the-dark stars put up by Oikawa from a sleepover when the three of you were kids. 

The edges of your (e/c) eyes softened with fondness when you remembered how the lighted up stars and planets felt like space to your young and imaginative self. 

_“No shit, Sherlock. How can I not when I’ve known both of you since we were kids.”_ Iwaizumi snorted, bringing you back to the present day. 

A small giggle escaped your lips when the image of the volleyball player rolling his eyes over what you said popped into your mind. 

_“What’s so funny?”_ Said person grumbled from the other end of the line before he let out an exasperated sigh and went back to the topic at hand. _“You know what, don’t answer that. Instead, tell me what has Shittykawa done this time and I’ll beat his ass for you.”_

“You’re just looking for an excuse to hit Tooru. Am I right to say that?” You mused, a corner of your lips curling into a small smile although it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared when you remembered what transpired this afternoon. 

There were a few beats of silence as you didn’t reply straightaway while Iwaizumi waited patiently for you to gather your thoughts, the sound of his light breathing through your phone was a comfort knowing that your best friend was always willing to listen yet wouldn’t push if you didn’t feel like telling your problems. 

After a while, you spoke up once more. “So, you remember how Tooru announce we should have a study session together with Issei-kun and Hiro-kun this coming Saturday?”

The ace hummed in acknowledgement to show he remembered but said nothing else and you took that as your cue to continue. “Well, it wasn’t supposed to be like that. I was the one who asked Tooru in the first place if he wanted to study with me over the weekend because I needed help with another upcoming test next week. He agreed to it immediately and for a moment I was overjoyed at the thought of spending time together, just the two of us but then in the next second, he suggested we should have a group study with the rest of y’all and that brings us to where we are now.”

You could hear the frown in his tone as Iwaizumi questioned, _“Did you tell that idiot it was just meant to be him and you?”_

Twirling your hair absentmindedly, you nodded your head and said, “I did, but I guess either he misheard it or chose to ignore it. I tried to inform him again, but he sounded so excited at the idea of having a group study with his friends that I didn’t have the heart to stop him. On top of that, the courage I manage to muster to ask him to study together just kind of faded.”

 _“That oblivious piece of shit!”_ Iwaizumi hissed into your ear and it brought a small smile onto your face as he cursed the brunette. _“I’m definitely gonna punch that stupid face of his first thing in the morning tomorrow! (Name), for the last time, if you choose to give up on Shittykawa, no one will blame you. Heck, I still can’t understand why you’re in love with that ass even till this day!”_

“Hajime, I’ve asked myself that question every day ever since I discovered my feelings for Tooru and I still haven’t found an answer either.” You gave a small shrug, having accepted your heart’s desire long ago. 

A resigned sigh left your friend’s lips but other than that, there were no other words exchanged as both your minds were occupied. Time passed before Iwaizumi was the first to break the silence between the two of you. 

_“(Name), listen to me.”_ He said, the seriousness in his tone causing you to pay close attention to what he had to say. _“I’ve an idea in mind as to how you can still get your study date with that Shittykawa.”_

“It’s not a study date!” You protested. “I need his help in studying, that’s all! There won’t be any dating of the sort happening at all!”

Ignoring your objection, your friend continued on as though he didn’t get interrupted by you. _“However, I’ll need Hanamaki’s and Matsukawa’s help which means it’s gonna take some time to pull this off.”_

Upon hearing this, you couldn’t help cutting in, feeling a bit worry over what Iwaizumi had in mind if he needed to recruit your other friends. “I appreciate what you’re doing for me, however, if it’s gonna give you trouble, I’m okay with going ahead with the original plan.”

The teen let out a loud snort over the line as he replied, _“To be honest, what I have in mind isn’t even that difficult to pull it off. The troublesome part will be getting the other two to cooperate since it kinds of involved them as well.”_

“Are you sure, Hajime?” You bit your lips in uncertainty. “I’m really okay with just the five of us studying together. Besides, I won’t be upset since I get to spend time with my friends.”

However, Iwaizumi insisted otherwise. _“(Name), stop worrying about what I’m going to do. Instead, worry about what you’re gonna wear to impress Oikawa on your date this Saturday.”_

“But—” You opened your mouth to protest but was cut off by your stern best friend. 

_“No buts, (Name). Since you ask Oikawa out, you’re going to go through with it from beginning to end and I’ll make sure you do that.”_ He chastised, but his voice was gentle. _“Besides, it’s about time you do something for yourself, instead of for others. You deserve it.”_

You hesitated because you were still unsure and to be honest, deep down, you were afraid of how it might not turn out the way you hoped it would be. The black-haired teen must have known what your fears were as what he said next took you by surprise. 

_“(Name), I know you’re afraid and I don’t blame you. Facing your feelings head-on can be scary because you’re fearful of the outcome, but if you don’t take that one step even if it results in a rejection, you’ll regret not doing it once the opportunity has passed.”_

“How do you know I’ll regret it?” You fought back. “I’ve been hiding my feelings for Tooru all these years and I’m still fine, aren’t I? So, what difference will it make if I choose to stay silent?”

Iwaizumi let out a frustrated groan over your stubbornness. _“Gosh, you’re just as bad as Oikawa. Every time I tell y’all something that’s for your own good, you like to argue with me for some unknown reason.”_

However, because the teen was a good friend and wanted the best for you, he refused to give up in trying to convince you. _“I know you better than you know yourself, (Name) and the same goes for you too. So, trust me when I say you’ll regret it if you choose to continue to sit on the sideline. Besides, you aren’t alone in this. You have me, Hanamaki and Matsukawa as well, even though it’s hard to take them seriously at times.”_

You knew a losing battle when you saw it. With a deep sigh, you finally accepted your outcome. “Fine, Hajime. You win this time around.”

You didn’t have to look to ignore your best friend was wearing a smug smirk as he replied, _“I know you’ll eventually come around.”_

“Yea, whatever.” Your nose scrunched up when (e/c) eyes narrowed into a glare directed at the ceiling even though Iwaizumi couldn’t see it, then your expression softened. “Honestly though, I really appreciate your help, Hajime even though you aren’t obliged to do it.”

 _“I kind of have to since I’m your best friend after all. Obligation comes along with the package.”_ Iwaizumi said teasingly which earned an eye roll from you, but his few words were filled with fondness. _“But seriously though, you don’t have to thank me or anything. I’m always here for you.”_

A soft chuckle escaped your lips. “I know, Hajime.”

 _“Mn.”_ The black-haired teen replied and even though it didn’t really count as a proper response, you understood the sentiment behind it. 

After that, the two of you exchanged a few more words before deciding to call it a day when you heard your father shouting from downstairs saying dinner was almost ready. Bidding Iwaizumi good night, you ended the call and headed down to help your parents set up for dinner.

Throughout the rest of night until your bedtime, your mind was occupied with your conversation with Iwaizumi and maybe for the first time since you chose to take that extra step in your pursue of one Oikawa Tooru, you were excited for the study session (you still refused to call it a date because it’s just two friends studying together) happening this Saturday.


	8. Study Date???

**Chapter 7 - Study Date???**

**May**

You roused to the morning sun streaming through your open windows, the curtains flapping gently in the breeze. A sleepy groan left your lips as your eyelids fluttered open, both hands rubbing away the last vestiges of a pleasant dream. 

Reaching towards the bedside table where your phone sat, you grabbed the device to check the time, however, a notification from your calendar caught your eyes instead. It read “study date with Tooru <3”. 

It took a few seconds for the words to sink into your still half-sleep brain, but the moment it did, you were instantly wide awake. Slowly, like a blossoming flower, the corners of your lips lifted into a wide grin as you buried your face into the pillow and let out a happy squeal, kicking your legs up and down to express your excitement. 

“I can’t believe I’m actually going on a date with Tooru!” You sighed dreamily, squeezing your pillow to your chest. “After all these years, my dream is becoming a reality.”

You continued laying on your bed, the smile on your face never fading as different scenarios of how the date might go flashed through your mind. A small giggle escaped your lips when you were reminded of how you would always daydream about going on dates with your crush. 

You were so caught up in the clouds that when your alarm, which you had set the night before just in case you overslept, went off and you were startled out of your reverie. Not wanting to wake your parents up so early on a weekend, you scrambled for your phone and immediately switched it off. 

Holding your breath, you strained your ears to hear any sound of movements coming from your parents’ bedroom. When you heard nothing, you let out a sigh of relief and decided to finally get out of bed to get ready or you would be late for sure. 

As you got ready, your thoughts drifted to your other best friend and his so-called plan in helping you to get your study date with Oikawa. 

Each time you asked what he was going to do, Iwaizumi refused to tell you no matter how hard you tried; he was stubborn just like that. When that didn’t work, you tried asking Hanamaki and Matsukawa who were also in on the plan, their lips were sealed tight as well. 

(Although you had been on the receiving end of their endless teasing ever since they got wind of what happened and they were merciless about it, always leaving you in a flustered mess.)

Soon, you gave up on trying to pry any further since neither of them was going to spill and decided to just trust in your friends despite itching to know what they had in mind. 

You were checking to make sure you had everything you needed when your gaze strayed towards the clock hanging on your wall and (e/c) eyes widened in shock upon seeing the time now. 

“Shit, I’m gonna be late if I don’t leave now!” You cursed, grabbing your bag and phone before rushing out of your room and out of the house; all the while praying to any deity out there listening that Oikawa wasn’t already at the meeting spot. 

**Time skipped**

“(Name)-chan!”

At the sound of your name, your head perked up from your phone where you had been anxiously keeping an eye on the time as the minutes ticked closer towards 10 am. Upon seeing the approaching figure, the corners of your lips were tugged into a fond smile. 

“Tooru,” You greeted your best friend whose beaming smile was as bright as the sun shining in the clear, blue sky. “You’re early for once. I’m surprised.”

“I don’t have much of a choice since Iwa-chan practically threatens me,” Oikawa whined; his bottom lip stuck out into a pout. 

Chuckling, you replied, “Hajime’s always saying he’ll beat your ass up and you usually ignore him. So, what’s the difference this time around?”

“That beast threatened to set my perfect hair on fire if I’m late!” The brunette exclaimed, his hands flailing about as he gestured to his hair. 

As Oikawa’s best friend, it was your job to sympathize and comfort the distressed male as any good friend would. Yet, you couldn’t help the amused giggles escaping your lips as the image of Iwaizumi cackling with glee as he watched Oikawa screaming at the top of his lungs with those luscious brown locks going up in flames popped into mind. 

“(Name)-chan! It’s not funny that my beautiful hair is in danger!” The setter cried, deciding that both his best friends were the worst friends ever and he needed to find new ones that actually cared for him. 

“S-Sorry, T-Tooru!” You choked out in between laughter. “I-I just can’t help it when I imagine Hajime actually doing it!” 

It took some time, but you eventually calmed down. Wiping away the tears clinging to your lashes, you faced the sulking brunette with a sheepish expression. “Please don’t be mad at me, Tooru. I really couldn’t help myself.”

“You’re such a meanie, (Name)-chan.” Oikawa sniffed and glanced up with wide watery eyes. “I thought you love me, but I guess I’m wrong.”

After knowing the teen for basically your entire life, you were more or less immune to his tricks and usually ignore them. However, just this once, you decided to indulge in Oikawa; just so you could see the smile you had come to love on him again. 

(E/C) eyes softened into a lighter hue. “Tooru, you may doubt many things in life, but my love for you isn’t one of them. No matter what, I’ll never stop loving you.”

You thought Oikawa would respond like he usually would – chocolate orbs twinkling with childish delight like always, that beaming smile tugging the corners of his lips as he glomped your smaller frame and smothered you to death with one of his tight hugs while bright laughter filled the air, saying he knew and was just playing with you as always. 

What you didn’t expect was the calculative shift in his expression, a shadow falling over his eyes as they bore into yours as though they were searching for deep within your soul. It reminded you of how he always looked when he was on the court, staring at his opponents to discover all their weaknesses and using it to his advantage. 

Your heart thudded loudly against your chest when you realized your words rung with a deeper meaning than what was on the surface. For a moment, you thought Oikawa _knew_ and it scared you. 

Sure, it might be your end goal to tell the brunette how you felt towards him, but it was too soon and you weren’t ready yet. 

Before you could work yourself into a full-blown panic attack, the moment passed and Oikawa was back to usual self as though _that_ look on his face was just a figment of your imagination. 

“You love me more than Iwa-chan right?” The setter slung an arm around your shoulders and pressed his right cheek up against yours, deep chocolate staring into (e/c). 

Letting out forced laughter, you tried to salvage the situation. “Y-You know I love both of you equally!”

“Speaking of Iwa-chan, where is he? He’s usually the first to appear.” Oikawa shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand, squinting slightly as he glanced around his surroundings. “I don’t see Makki or Mattsun either. Did we get the meeting time wrong or they’re just running late as usual.”

“Well…” You began, only to trail off when you remembered your black-haired friend’s plan, except you didn’t know what it was so you didn’t have an answer to the volleyball player’s question. 

Just as you were thinking of what to tell Oikawa without revealing what his best friends were up to, both your phones’ notifications went off at the same time and you knew this could only mean one thing. 

The brunette pulled his phone out from his pants’ pocket and you did the same, unlocking your lock screen to realize you had received three unread messages from “The Awesome Amigos” – a group chat you shared with the volleyball third years. 

**_From: The Awesome Amigos_ **

**Hajime:** _Hey, I won’t be able to join y’all today. I need to help my mom run some last-minute urgent errands. [9:50 am]_

 **Hajime:** _Sorry for not mentioning it earlier. [9.51 am]_

 **Issei-kun:** _Yo, I can’t make it as well. Gotta bring my grandma for her check-up. Sorry! [9:53 am]_

 **Hiro-kun:** _Urgh! I feel like death! My head’s killing me! Don’t think I’m up for studying today or my brain’s gonna explode with this headache!_

“Well, looks like it’s just the two of us.” You smiled hesitantly and glanced up from your phone towards Oikawa, feeling a bit nervous as to how he might react. 

There was a small furrow between the brunette’s brows as he responded to the messages, his fingers flying across the keyboard. At the rate he was going, you wouldn’t be surprised if his phone screen cracked from his furious typing. 

Your own phone rang once, twice then a few more times but you didn’t bother to check your friend’s replies because seeing said person in action was all you needed to know. 

Once Oikawa was done, he shoved his phone back into his pocket and proceeded to sulk like a kid denied of his candy – his arms crossed over his chest while his bottom lips stuck out into a pout. 

“I was really looking forward to studying together with everyone and then this happened.” The brunette whined. “This is so unfair!”

You could hear the disappointment in his voice and immediately felt bad, knowing it was your selfish desire of wanting to spend some alone time with Oikawa that caused the teen to be upset. 

Guilt consumed your being and you hung your head in shame, (e/c) eyes fixated on the ground; unable to meet your friend’s eyes as you apologised. “I’m sorry, Tooru. This is all my fault.”

“Huh?” Came a confused reply as the setter turned to you with furrowed brows and a small frown. “I don’t understand how this is your fault, (Name)-chan. It can’t help that everyone else couldn’t make it last minute.”

Swallowing the lump stuck around your throat, you forced yourself to speak the truth even though you were afraid of the outcome. “The study session today was supposed to be just you and me or at least that was my intention when I asked you on Monday. I didn’t know if you didn’t hear me or what, but you decided to invite everyone and I just didn’t have the heart to try and clarify when you looked so excited at the thought of studying with our friends. So, I kept quiet and just agreed to it.”

“Oh…” Oikawa responded quietly but otherwise said nothing else and you took it as your cue to continue. 

“I didn’t tell anyone but you know how Hajime’s like. He figured something was up when I didn’t seem like myself on the way home after our study session on Monday. So, he called me that night to ask what happened and I told him everything. I didn’t mind studying with everyone else because it’s been a while but Hajime insisted otherwise and said he would think of something with the help of Issei-kun and Hiro-kun which brings us to where we are now.”

When you were done and with nothing else left to say, a sort of tense silence hung in the air between both of you. The setter wasn’t saying anything and you still couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, not wanting to see what sort of expression was written on that handsome face of his. 

A heartbeat of a moment passed and the sound of footsteps could be heard as Oikawa’s shoes entered your sight and stopped within a foot length between the two of you. 

Your breath hitched as he gently grabbed your chin and lifted your head so that (e/c) was gazing into dark brown softened with fondness. The edges of his lips were curled into a soft smile which you saw for a quick second before you were pulled into a hug, your cheek resting against his chest. 

“Oh, (Name)-chan, you should’ve said something in the beginning.” Oikawa’s deep voice rumbled as he ran his fingers – long and slender but roughened with years of setting up the perfect tosses you had ever seen – through (h/l), (h/c) hair. “I would’ve never suggested having a group study with the rest.”

You blinked your eyes once then twice, taken aback by your friend’s words since this wasn’t the reaction you were expecting. Lifting your head, you stared into his understanding gaze with furrowed brows. “You’re not mad?”

An amused chuckle left his lips. “Why would I be? Not when you want to have the amazing Oikawa Tooru all to yourself.”

“As if.” You rolled your eyes, trying to look annoyed but the smile tugging at the corners of your lips stated otherwise. “Only someone without a brain will want that.”

“Hey!” Oikawa protested but you knew he wasn’t actually offended judging from the mirth twinkling in those chocolate orbs. “Everyone loves me!” 

“Not really.” The grin on your face shifted into a teasing smirk as you responded. “I can name a few who thinks otherwise.”

“(Name)-chan!” The brunette let out a childish whine. “Can’t you ever just play along with me even for once?”

“Nope!” You popped the “p” before dissolving into giggles at your best friend’s petulant expression. 

Meanwhile, adoration warmed Oikawa’s heart as your laughter chimed like bells, filling the spring air with a sweet melody. (He might not know now, but it was at this moment that his feelings for you started to shift in a different direction.)

“So,” You dragged out the word as you glanced up at the teen through your lashes in an almost shy manner. “What do we do now? Are we gonna study like we originally plan or are we gonna postpone it to another day when everyone’s free to study together again?”

“Neither,” Oikawa answered, earning a confused look from you. “I’ve a better idea instead.”

You tilted your head to one side in curiosity. “What do you have in mind, Tooru?”

He released his hold on you, grabbed your right hand with his left – his fingers entwined tightly with yours – and pulled you in the direction of town. Glancing over his shoulders, you noticed the giant grin split on his lips as he exclaimed, “We’re going on a proper date as you wanted!”

“Eh?!” (E/C) eyes were widened in shock as your cheeks heat up, becoming a lovely shade of red as you allowed Oikawa to tug you along. 

Just like that, your “study date” became more than what you expected and one of the best days of your life. 

* * *

Despite being a tight-knitted trio of friends, there were instances where it would be just one of your best friends and you without the other in the equation. So, even though this wasn’t your first time spending alone time with Oikawa, it felt different from the other times. 

(Although, there was a still hint of familiarity and you decided you didn’t mind that. In fact, you realized spending time with your love who was also happened to be your best friend felt right and you hoped to have the best of both worlds in the future.)

The rest of the day spent with Oikawa was both everything you had been dreaming of all these years and so much more. 

Lunch was spent at a cute and cosy café tucked away from the main street and even though it wasn’t popular like some of the other cafes filled with long lines, the food tasted like paradise on your tongues. 

However, it was the mischief glint in those chocolate orbs glimmering beneath the warm, orangey light as he placed a dab of whipped cream from the shared dessert onto your nose, earning a noise of surprise before you punched him in the shoulder.

“You’re the worst, Tooru.” You scowled at the male as laughter spilled from his rosy lips while you sat there with folded arms, the cream still sitting on the tip of your nose. “Stop laughing and clean off the mess you make!”

“If you say so.” Oikawa grinned and the shift in his eyes was all the warning given when a finger reached to swipe the sweet substance off your nose before his tongue darted out to lick it. 

“Mm, delicious,” The brunette hummed, the corners of his lips curled into a satisfied smirk. 

Meanwhile, (e/c) eyes were blown wide opened in disbelieved shock by what Oikawa did as your face flush a lovely shade of red that reached to the tips of your ears. 

Seeing the flustered state you were in, he couldn’t help the amused chuckles as he grabbed a napkin, dabbed it with some water and cleaned your nose of any remaining cream. 

“There, all clean.” The third-year said, scrunching up the napkin into a ball. 

You finally regained some sort of cognition and the flush on your face settled into pink spots sported on your cheeks, your gaze narrowed into a glare directed at Oikawa. “I hate you, Tooru.”

“No, you don’t.” The teen chirped before turning his attention to the desert once more while you grumbled in between scoops of ice cream as he fed you.

(You didn’t deny nor confirm Oikawa’s previous statement because what was the point if both of you already knew the truth.)

**Time skipped**

Next on the agenda after lunch, both of you headed to the arcade where the volleyball team of Seijoh liked to frequent on their off days for some team bonding. 

You had a blast beating Oikawa at the dancing machine and won five out of five much to his dismay. 

_“One more round and I’ll win for sure!” A frustrated Oikawa declared as he placed two more tokens into the machine and waited impatiently for the songs to pop on screen._

_You wore confidence like a second skin, both hands placed on your hips as you smirked at your friend. “I’m sure I’ll beat your ass in this round too.”_

_The brunette let out a growl as your words lit a fire under his competitive spirit. “We shall see if who will have the last laugh after this round!”_

_Oikawa ended up eating his own words when he lost again which he was not happy about and demanded to have another round. You had to physically drag the setter away from the game machine or the two of you would be here all day if you let said person had his way._

After that, your stomach hurt from laughing your ass off at the claw machine when Oikawa tried to win a figurine of your favourite character but ended up failing miserably when the claw picked up the head instead of the entire thing (1). 

_“It’s not funny, (Name)-chan!” Oikawa whined, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment while you choked on your laughter._

_You tried to stop but the sight of the third-year glaring daggers at the head of the poor figurine – whose body was still in the machine – clutched in his hand, you lost it for good and was beyond help the second time around._

_(Despite the failed attempt, Oikawa still got you something in the end and you left the arcade with a cute plushie, your cheeks flushed with delight buried in its soft body.)_

The next two hours were spent singing at the tops of your lungs at the karaoke where many fond memories with the third years and your best friends were made. 

_“(Name)-chan, let’s sing a love duet next,” Oikawa suggested out of nowhere, causing you to choke on the drink you were having._

_“H-Huh?!” You managed to stammer out, your heart racing which the brunette was oblivious to as he focused on selecting the song he had in mind from the tablet._

_You weren’t sure if the volleyball player heard you or not because the next thing you knew, the familiar tune of “I See The Light” from Tangled, a favourite Disney movie which both of you shared (Iwaizumi couldn’t see the charm in something so romantically cliché), filled the small room._

_Oikawa turned towards you with an outstretched hand, a beaming smile on his face. “I promise it’ll be fun. Besides, it’ll be just like old times!”_

_How could you say no upon seeing the glint of excitement in those glimmering orbs you loved?_

_You returned his wide grin with a soft smile as you placed your smaller hand into his larger palm and allowed Oikawa to tug you closer, your breaths mingling with his._

_“Of course, Tooru.”_

In that small, dimly lit room, his deep and rich voice was like a melody to your ears while with your clear and soft voice, that moment with Oikawa felt like a scene out of a movie with the two of you as its directors and actors. 

**_And at last I see the light._ **

_“And it’s like the fog has lifted,” Oikawa sang, lifting his free hand to cup the side of your face as his thumb stroked your cheek in light grazes._

**_And at last I see the light._ **

_“And it’s like the sky is new,” You leaned into his touch, the warmth of his hand seeping into your skin._

**_And it's warm and real and bright_ **

**_And the world has somehow shifted_ **

**_All at once everything is different_ **

**_Now that I see you_ **

_As the song reached the last verse, both you and Oikawa had been subconsciously leaning forward till your forehead rested against his. The hand on your face dropped, seeking for your own and when the setter found what he was looking for, fingers slipped between yours and interlocked intimately._

_“Now that I see you.” The two of you sang together in hushed whispers, chocolate swirling with fondness stared deeply into (e/c) and you felt his gaze touched deep into your soul._

_(At that moment where nothing else mattered, you felt the truth of the song deep in your bones and you couldn’t help but agreed that the world you created with Oikawa was no longer the same as it was before.)_

The last thing you did with Oikawa before dinner was spent studying together like how the date was initially supposed to be. Even though today had felt like a dream thus far, reality would always come creeping back and whether you liked it or not, you really needed your friend’s help if you wanted to pass the upcoming test.

_Studying was a quiet affair with the occasional murmurings as Oikawa went through your notes with you, pointing out the key points that might appear in the upcoming test. Even then, there was still an air of intimacy in how closed both of you sat together._

_With every slight movement, shoulders would brush against each other and every inhale or exhale of breath exchanged could be heard loud and clear in the quiet library._

_As it crept closer to evening, the sun was sinking low in the horizon, making the sky an artist’s palette of oranges and blues left to swirl into each other. All in all, everything that had happened so far left your heart feeling on cloud nine and nothing could erase the joyful smile painting your lips._

* * *

Miyagi’s night sky was dotted with a galaxy of stars, the moon casting its silvery glow on earth by the time both you and Oikawa left the ramen place where you had dinner. 

The walk back home was filled with comfortable silence and crickets chirping in the background as neither of you exchanged words, deciding to simply just enjoyed each other’s presence. 

As the day began to wind down, you could feel the tiredness starting to seep into your bones and your body longed to relax in a warm bath. Despite that, your heart felt full and satisfied after today’s event. 

A contented sigh left your lips as your mind replayed the moments from this afternoon, (e/c) orbs softening with happiness. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” You were brought out of your reverie when Oikawa spoke up, the corners of his lips tugged into an amused smile when you turned to look at him. 

Your cheeks glowed a light pink under the flickering street lamps at being caught staring into space like a lovesick fool (well, you were one but it was not something the brunette needed to know, yet). 

“I was just thinking of how much fun I had today.” You answered, your lips lifted into a shy smile. “It was everything I had ever wanted and more. So, thank you, Tooru for giving me that.”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” The brunette grinned before winking at you. “Because if you didn’t, it’ll just be a blow to my pride since every girl I’ve ever gone on a date feels that way too.”

In that instance, it felt like someone poured cold water all over you and the flowery atmosphere where your head had been stuck in all day poof into thin air just like that. 

“(Name)-chan?” Oikawa called; his brows furrowed in slight concern when he noticed how you froze up all of a sudden. 

However, you didn’t hear him, not when the only thing you hear was the sound of your heart thumping away in your ears as realization dawned upon you. 

You should have known better, but like the fool that you were, you chose to turn a blind eye, thinking otherwise. The thought of how today’s date was probably just like any other dates the setter had gone on while it meant the world to you broke your heart just a little. 

“(Name)-chan?” Oikawa called your name again, this time placing a hand on your shoulder which startled you. “Are you alright? You just became quiet of all a sudden.”

“O-Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking of something. You don’t have to worry about me, Tooru.” You reassured the brunette with a forced smile, trying not to break down in front of him. 

Oikawa bought your lie and he let out a small sigh of relief. “You scared me there for a moment, (Name)-chan.”

You could feel the fake grin on your lips threatening to slip and you couldn’t allow that to happen, especially not in front of your best friend. As much you wanted to blame Oikawa for playing you, you knew it wasn’t his fault because he didn’t _know_ and it was no one’s fault but your own.

Your voice sounded wobbly as though you were on the verge of tears (maybe you were but at this point, you weren’t so sure anymore). “Today was amazing and I’ve lots of fun, but it has been a long day and I’m starting to get tired. Let’s head home, shall we?”

“Of course!” The volleyball player was quick to agree. “Come, let Oikawa lead the beautiful lady to her doorsteps. We can’t have you walking home alone this late or else Aunty is going to kill me.”

On any other normal day, you would have laughed at what the third-year said and maybe even teased him back but after what happened today, you just weren’t in the mood anymore. 

The rest of the walk back to your house was filled with one-sided chatters from Oikawa while you focused on keeping the tears at bay. It was only after when the setter said good night and you could no longer see his retreating back then did the first drop of tear fell, leaving a silvery trail behind on your cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1): If you understood the reference, you're a true Haikyuu fan >< (But just in case you didn't, here's the video: youtube.com/watch?v=9GxAFjC6mQ)
> 
> Well, this wasn't exactly what I originally had in mind when planning for this chapter but then things happened and now we have angst. Then again, it isn't like me to not include angst in my stories :P


	9. Confusion

**Chapter 8 - Confusion**

**May**

_“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself because if you didn’t, it’ll just be a blow to my pride since every girl I’ve ever gone on a date feels that way too.”_

“(Name)! Watch out!”

At the sound of your name, you snapped out of your thoughts but the warning came too late and you were met with a stray volleyball to your face. 

The gym was plunged into deathly silence, horrified shock written all over their faces as the players watched their manager fell onto the ground with a loud thud. For a heartbeat or two, you remained motionless on the ground and everyone was starting to fear the worst when they heard a pain groan coming from you. 

“(Name)-chan!” Oikawa was the first to react, his worried shout breaking the rest of the team out of their stupor as they followed after their captain who had rushed over to your side. “Are you okay?!”

“Argh…” Another moan left your lips and your eyes slowly fluttered open to the sight of your teammates’ concerned faces peering down at you. “W…What happened?”

“A stray volleyball hit you in the face. Someone tried to warn you, but you were a second too late.” Iwaizumi answered, his lips set into a deep frown as black orbs ran over your face to check for any injuries. “How are you feeling?”

“It feels like that one time where I ran into a wall,” You hissed, the pain in your head flaring up the moment you tried to sit up. “Argh, my head hurts like hell.”

“(Name)-chan! Stay still! You’re just gonna make things worst!” Oikawa scolded and instantly reached his hands out to support your body as he helped you into a sitting position. 

Meanwhile, your black-haired friend turned to the team and instructed everyone to stop crowding around their manager and get back to practice. There was some hesitation as your teammates lingered around, still worried for your well-being but with a stern glare from their vice-captain, they reluctantly did as told. 

Sighing, Iwaizumi turned his attention back to you, his brows furrowing in concern at the obvious painful grimace on your face. “You should go to the nurse’s office just in case. Get her to check you for any concussion since you hit your head quite pretty hard when you fell.”

You nodded, only to wince when the motion caused the pounding in your head to worsen as well as receiving another scolding from Oikawa who was still glued to your side, his lips pursed into a worried frown. 

“Oikawa, you bring (Name) to the nurse’s office and I’ll stay here with the coaches.” Iwaizumi turned to look at the brunette who hummed in acknowledgement, his gaze not leaving yours. 

Upon hearing that, (e/c) orbs widened as Oikawa’s words from your study date resurfaced and you could feel the panic rising in you at the thought of being alone in a room with the teen which was the last thing you needed now. 

You looked up at your black-haired friend pleadingly, hoping he would get the message, but he was oblivious to your inner plight as he gave a firm nod to his partner before making his way back to practice and leaving you to your doom. 

You turned to look at Oikawa who was smiling, but you could see traces of concern in those chocolate orbs. “Come on, let’s you to get the nurse. The sooner she can check on you, the better you’ll be.”

Without much of a choice, you allowed your friend helped you onto your feet, Oikawa muttering a quick apology when you let out a small groan of pain, your head spinning while the pounding headache intensified. 

Seeing the discomfort that you were in, the setter decided to carry you to the sickbay instead of making you walked. So, without so much as of a warning, he slid an arm under your shoulders and one under knees, lifting your weight up into his arms easily and carrying out of the gym. 

“T-Tooru?!” You let out a surprised squeal at the sudden movement, glancing up at said person with wide eyes. “W-What are you doing?!”

Chocolate met (e/c) as Oikawa looked down, a wide grin on his face as he replied, not once slowing down in his trek towards the main school building. “I’m carrying you, of course!”

“I-I can see that,” You could feel your cheeks heating up and your heart picking up speed when you finally realized in what manner you were being carried by the brunette. “I-I just don’t understand why. I hit my face, not my legs so I can still walk just fine!”

The corners of his lips stretched into a teasing grin as he tightened his hold on you, in case you tried to escape. “I can’t let her highness walk when she isn’t feeling well, now can I?”

“Tooru put me down this instant!” You hissed, feeling mortified when you noticed how the two of you were attracting unwanted attention as passing students stopped to stare and whispered. “Your fangirls are gonna kill me if we bump into any of them and I want to live to see another day!”

Oikawa just let out a bark of laughter, chocolate orbs glinting with playfulness as he winked at you. “Well, I guess I’ll have to do my duty as your knight-in-shining-armour and protect my princess from your enemies.”

To make matter worst, the teen dared to lean down and placed a quick peck on your forehead, causing you to freeze up in his arms at the unexpected action – (e/c) orbs wide shock as you stopped breathing and your heart skyrocketed, going into a frenzy. 

Seeing the stupefied expression on your face, Oikawa let out an amused chuckle and hummed a merry tune as he continued heading towards the nurse’s office while you remained as still as a statue in his arms, eyes unblinking as a thought crossed through your mind. 

Oikawa Tooru was going to be the death of you, for sure.

**Time skipped**

“Alright, your head seems nothing. All you need is painkillers to ease the headache and plenty of rest afterwards.” The school nurse instructed as she handed a cup of water along with two painkillers which you accepted with a small smile. “You can rest here for now until you feel better. I’ll be in the other room, so if you need anything, just yell.”

“Thank you for your help, Sensei!” Oikawa gave the nurse his signature grin he always wore around his group of fangirls, but instead of screams and fainting, the older female merely laughed and shook her head in fond exasperation – used to it by now, especially considering how the brunette was a regular face at her office due to his bad knee. 

Usually, you would just ignore your friend’s playboy side even though a small part of your heart would still twinge with jealously whenever you watched those nameless girls who didn’t understand what personal space would fight each other for Oikawa’s full attention. 

However, with last Saturday’s date still fresh at the forefront of your mind (and it was also the reason you landed with a volleyball smacked in your face), you felt a frown pulling at the corners of your lips as your blood bubbled with irritation at the reminder of how you were just one of the many girls in Oikawa’s life when it came to love. 

You broke out of your reverie at the sound of the door closing as the nurse returned to her office and while the setter’s back was facing you as he thanked the older female once more with a quick wave, you took your medication so when the brunette turned around to face you, he would have missed the unpleasant look on your face. 

“How are you feeling now, (Name)-chan?” Oikawa asked, a slight frown turning down the corners of his mouth. “Do you need more painkillers for your headache?”

You placed the empty cup back on the small table beside the bed you were resting on before glancing up to meet chocolate eyes glimmering with worried beneath the fluorescent light of the nurse’s office. 

Seeing the concern written all over your best friend’s face, you felt slightly guilty for being annoyed at him even though you knew at the back of your mind that it wasn’t his fault at all. It wasn’t unknown to everyone that while Oikawa might flirt and go on dates with girls, it never went beyond that because he didn’t have the time and energy to invest in serious relationships; not when all of that went into his volleyball. 

So, despite knowing that, it wasn’t the setter’s fault that you let his words at the end of the date cut deep into your heart and leaving behind bleeding wounds. 

A small sigh escaped your lips at that thought, but Oikawa mistook it for one of pain and went into full-blown panic mode as he hovered around the best you were resting on. “(Name)-chan! Are you okay?! Did the pain in your head came back?? Do you need more painkillers? You know what, I’ll call the nurse over! Sen—”

However, before the brunette could leave the room and called the nurse over, you reached your hand out and curled your fingers around his wrist, stopping your friend in his trek with a quick tug.

“Tooru! I’m fine!” You tried to reassure the frantic teen, not wanting to create trouble for the nurse when you were already starting to feel better after taking some medication. “I just had a lot of things on my mind lately, that’s all. It’s nothing to be worried about.”

“It should be worrying if it’s the reason why you’re at the nurse office in the first place,” Oikawa whined; his bottom lips stuck out into a disapproving pout. 

Chuckling, you replied with a small smile. “Well, it can’t be helped with Interhigh coming up and there’s still so much to be done, yet there isn’t much time left.”

Well, that wasn’t really the whole truth but you weren’t exactly lying either since the national volleyball high school championship is really happening next month. Besides, you didn’t want Oikawa to know he was the real reason because you weren’t ready to confess your feelings yet. 

So, this would have to do for now. 

“Aww!” The setter exclaimed as he threw his entire body on your bed and wrapped your arms around your waist, his face nuzzling into your stomach. “Seijoh is so lucky to have you as our manager! You’re the best, (Name)-chan! What will we do without you?”

“Probably give the coaches a headache and send the vice-captain to his early grave since the captain is quite a handful,” You teased the brunette, a playful grin tugging at the corners of your lips. 

“Hey!” Oikawa protested as he lifted his head, his eyes narrowing into a glare but there was no heat to it. “I’m a good captain alright.”

The smirk on your face widened as you responded, “I never did say you were a bad captain. I just said that you can be a handful at times, that’s all.”

Said captain opened his mouth to argue but was unable to utter a single word when he knew you were right. So, with much reluctance, he shut his mouth and buried his face in your stomach once more, grumbling about how unfair the world was. 

You let out a soft snort but said nothing and both of you relapsed into a comfortable silence and you began to run fingers through Oikawa’s hair while the brunette released a pleased sigh, his body relaxing as he pushed his head against your hand in his hair, silently demanding for more which you happily obliged. 

And that was how Iwaizumi found both of his best friends when he dropped by to check up on them – curled up in each other’s arms on the bed with smiles on their faces as they slept away without a single worry in the world. 

* * *

“Oh my gosh, you two look so adorable!” Hayami squealed in delight, a wide grin painting her lips as she stared at the picture of both you and Oikawa entangled together on one of the many beds in the nurse office on your phone. “I’ll have to thank Iwaizumi-san for being a godsend.”

“Hayami-chan! Please give my phone back!” You pleaded, trying to get your phone back from said best friend, but so far, you were failing at doing so. “Also, not so loud! You’re gonna attract unwanted attention.”

After a few more failed attempts and begging, the black-haired teen finally handed your phone over to you. Ignoring the glare sent her way, she raised a questioning brow and asked, “You know, based on this image, I don’t understand how your date with Oikawa last Saturday ended badly. Instead, it looked like it went well, judging how both of you are so wrapped up in each other’s arms and sleeping away without a single care in the world.”

At your friend’s words, you could feel your cheeks heating up when you recalled what happened yesterday. The embarrassment of waking up to the sound of Iwaizumi’s phone camera going off, a smug grin on his lips as he took a photo of both his best friends cuddling on the cramped bed in the nurse office.

“Oi, are you listening to any word I’m saying or are you dreaming about being in those muscular arms of your lover again?” Hayami’s tone was teasing as she kept poking your shoulders to get your attention. 

You swatted her hand away, glaring up at your friend with slight irritation. “I am listening and stop poking me, it’s annoying.”

Being the annoying best friend who must always have the last say between the two of you gave one last hard poke to your shoulder, earning an exasperated eye-roll in return. 

“So,” Hayami dragged out the word, raising a brow. “You still haven’t answered my question about what really happened between you and Oikawa-san.”

“That’s the thing, I don’t really know anymore.” You let out a frustrated groan and faceplanted onto your desk with a small “thud” sound. “The date was everything I dreamt of and wanted more, but then Tooru just had to remind that our date was just like one of the many girls he dated before. Then, he goes and pulls this kind of shit on me where it makes me feel special like I’m the only girl in his life who gets such privileges, leaving my brain confused at the mixed signals.”

The black-haired teen didn’t answer straight away as she processed your words, the playful glimmer in her eyes gone. Another second passed before she spoke up. “I may have a solution to your problem.”

“You do?!” Your head popped back up from the desk at your friend’s words, (e/c) eyes glimmering with hope. “What is it? Please tell me, Hayami-chan!”

Hayami released an amused chuckle before becoming serious once more. “If you want to win Oikawa-san’s heart, you have to confess your feelings to him.”

There was a moment of silence as neither of you said anything, seemingly just staring blankly at each other. Then, you blinked your eyes once, twice as her words sank in your mind. 

“What?!” You exclaimed as you slammed both hands on your desk and stood up, staring at your friend with incredulous eyes. “Are you crazy?! What makes you think I’ll do that?!” 

“Shh!” Hayami hissed as she reached over and slapped a hand over your mouth, her fingers digging into your cheeks . “Do you want the whole world to hear about your crush on Oikawa-san?”

Furrowing your brows, you made some muffled noises but eventually nodded your head and the teen removed her hand from your mouth, wiping it on her skirt. “You’re lucky that it’s after school and the classroom’s empty or else you’ll have hundreds of fangirls coming hot on your ass.”

“Whatever,” You grumbled and folded your arms across your chest, your bottom lips sticking out into a petulant pout. “But I’m still not gonna tell Tooru how I feel about him.”

A smirk pulled at a corner of her mouth as Hayami replied, “Why not? You’re gonna confess to him before we graduate anyways. So, that isn’t any difference in confessing now or then other than speeding up the process.” 

You opened your mouth to argue but realized your best friend had a point. “I’m just not ready yet.”

The black-haired teen rolled her eyes at your lame excuse before closing the remaining gap between the two of you and placed a supporting hand on your shoulders. “Look, I know you’re afraid of being rejected, but if you don’t say anything to Oikawa-san, there won’t be any progress.”

“What do you mean?” You furrowed your brows in confusion, not understanding your friend’s words. 

“Remember how Oikawa-san say at the end of your date with him?” You frowned at the unpleasant reminder but nodded your head and continued listening as Hayami went on. “That’s because he thought you are one of those other girls he dated who only likes him for his looks and popularity, but you’re also his best friend, hence why he treats you differently from everyone else.”

“Okay…” You replied hesitantly, still not getting where your friend was trying to go with this. “I still don’t understand how confessing my feeling got to do with this.”

Hayami let out a frustrated groan as your ignorance but powered through after muttering some few choices of words under her breath which you narrowed your eyes at. Taking in a deep breath, she looked straight into your eyes – black meeting (e/c). “What I’m trying to say is, you have to change how he sees you and you can only do that by telling him your true feelings.”

As the words sank into your mind, you finally understood what the black-haired girl meant. You suck in a deep breath at that realization, your voice trembling as you met your friend’s gaze head-on. “I have to make Tooru aware that I love him more than just a friend, but at the same, I’ve to show him that I love him for who he is because as his best friend, I know the true him from inside and out.”

“Yes!” Hayami cried as she pulled you into a hug. “My baby girl finally got it! I’m so proud of you, (Name)-chan!”

Laughing, you wrapped your arms around your friend. “Well, I have a best friend who is a genius, so what can I say.”

The teen stepped back and flipped her hair, a smirk dancing on her lips. “Of course, I’m the best.”

You rolled your eyes at the self-praise. “Sure, whatever floats your boat at night.”

Hayami let out a chuckle before black eyes softening as she threw an arm around your shoulder, pulling you into her side. “Seriously though, I know it’s going to be a scary thing, taking that huge leap to tell Oikawa-san how you truly feel about him after hiding it from him for so long, but things won’t change if you don’t take that step outside of your comfort zone.”

You met your friend’s gaze and unlike before, there was a glimmer of confidence as you replied, “I know, Hayami-chan, but as you say, I’ll just have to do a leap of faith and keep trying.”

The grin on the black-haired girl’s face widened as she cocked her hip against yours, winking as she teasingly said, “Well, if all fails, there’s always Iwaizumi-san. He isn’t bad on the market either.”

“Ew, no!” You whined, your face scrunching up at the thought of having feelings for your black-haired best friend. “That will be like saying I like my brother which is just plain weird and wrong. Besides, Hajime and I just see other as friends, maybe sibling but nothing more.”

“Well, I’m just saying,” Hayami shrugged, only to let out a hiss when you pinched her side, glaring as she rubbed at the area. “What was that for?”

“No reason,” It was your turn to shrug, a smug grin painting your lips as you grabbed your school bag and slung it on your shoulder, heading out of the classroom. “Well, I got to run or I’ll be late for practice.”

“Just remember what I say!” Hayami hollered at your retreating back and you raised your hand in a wave to show your acknowledgement. 

As you made your way down the quiet hallway with nothing but the sound of your footsteps echoing, you felt lighter and surer of what you must do now to win Oikawa’s heart but that was a story for another day because first thing first, you are going to beat Ushijima’s ass at Interhigh once and for all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be going on a short hiatus in August as I'm busy with school assignments and deadlines. I'll try to work on the next chapter if I have the time to do so. If you want to stay in the know or be updated on things, you can follow me on Instagram [@rainbendchan](https://www.instagram.com/rainbendchan/) where I'll be posting updates and other fun stuff in the future. 


	10. Interhigh

**Chapter 9 - Interhigh**

**June**

The hottest month of the year was in full swing with the blazing sun beating down on people’s back but soothed by the occasional summer breeze. At the same time, the world of volleyball was buzzing with activity in Japan as the most anticipated of the sports season had finally arrived – the Interhigh Preliminaries. 

For Seijoh, this was another chance to beat the top school in the prefecture, Shiratorizawa, and their ace – Ushijima Wakatoshi and made it to the Nationals which was every team’s dream here in Japan. 

Sendai City Gymnasium, where the Interhigh for the Miyagi Prefecture was held, was crowded with people – high school teams who were competing along with students, teachers, and parents who had come to support them. The air was buzzing with excitement and filled with chatters as everyone talked about which school would defeat which school and who would emerge as the champion for the Interhigh. 

It was the normal sight at every Interhigh which you always look forward to. There was just something about it that chased away the pre-game anxieties and filled you with a sense of calmness so that when you entered the court, you became the solid wall that your teammates turned to for encouragement and support. 

However, there was just one small, minor problem that if it didn’t exist, the entire picture would have been perfect but at alas, it would never go away unless the person behind the issue ceased to exist. 

“Tooru, we gotta go! Now!” You exclaimed in a demanding tone; arms folded across your chest to show you meant business. 

As usual, Oikawa didn’t listen to anything you had said and instead was currently entertaining a group of girls dressed in different school uniforms who had come to the gym in the hope to catch the handsome Seijoh captain. 

The frown on your face deepened as you glared at your best friend’s back who continued to ignore your existence as he popped one of the girls’ homemade cookies into his mouth, his eyes fluttering shut at the delicious taste. 

“Hey, these are good! Did you really make them yourself?” Oikawa asked the girl whose homemade cookie that he had just eaten, the corners of his lips tugging into a small smile. 

“Yes!” The girl was quick to reply, her eyes sparkling with delight that the setter had enjoyed her cookie. “I stayed up late last night to make them!”

“Wow, that’s awesome! Thanks!” Oikawa winked at the girl, causing her face to turn different shades of red as she stammered out a reply. 

“It was nothing, really!” 

With that, the rest of the girls took that as a cue to make other demands of the volleyball player. 

“Oikawa, can I please take a photo with you?” One of the girls asked, her eyes peering up at the brunette with wide, hopeful eyes. 

Never one to disappoint others, Oikawa straightaway agreed. “What, a photo? But of course!”

Finally, you had enough of the teen’s nonsense and the annoyance that had been bubbling beneath your skin erupted like a dormant volcano waking up after a very long sleep. 

“Oikawa Tooru, if you don’t move your ass this instant, I’m going to—” 

Your sentence was cut off when a volleyball came flying out of nowhere and hitting Oikawa in the back of his head, causing his group of fangirls to let out startled cries. Meanwhile, you couldn’t control the way how the corners of your mouth curled into a satisfied smirk when you saw who was the one that threw the ball at the brunette. 

“Ow! I’ve never been hit before, even by my coach!” The volleyball player whined as he rubbed the back of his head where he had been hit and turned around to glare at the culprit. 

However, upon seeing who it was, all the colors drained from Oikawa’s face and he swallowed the lump of fear when he noticed the anger rolling out in dark waves from his vice-captain. 

Without so much uttering a single word, Iwaizumi simply tilted his head at the setter who slightly shuddered at the glower on the black-haired teen’s face before turning back to his fangirls with a small, apologetic smile.

“Sorry, we’ll take that photo another time.” He waved goodbye to them before walking over towards Iwaizumi who was seething with anger, his eyes avoiding to look at the latter because looks could kill, he would be lying dead on the ground in just a matter of seconds. 

“Aw…” The groups of girls let out disappointed whines, but other than that, they left Oikawa alone instead of chasing after him to which you released a small sigh of relief. 

You turned to the girls with a polite smile and said, “I’m really sorry about that, but the matches are about to start, and Oikawa still needs to warm up. You want him to be in his best shape, right?”

The girls chorused their agreements and while the small smile remained, you were rolling your eyes on the inside as you replied, “Then, I hope you can understand why he can’t stay but I’m sure he’s thankful and happy for your support. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

With that, you bowed at the girls to thank them for their time on behalf of Oikawa (because even though you disliked his fangirls, you couldn’t help but admired their courage to act on their feelings instead of idling around as you did with your own feelings for your best friend) before turning on your heels and catching up with your two best friends who were waiting by the entrance of the gym. 

“You’ll think that I’ll be used to Tooru and his fangirls by now after having to deal with them since middle school, but nope, it’s just as annoying as ever.” You grumbled in a petulant manner once you had caught up to both Oikawa and Iwaizumi, earning an offended “Hey!” from the former and an amused chuckle from the latter. 

“(Name)-chan, don’t be so rude!” Oikawa was quick to defend his precious group of fangirls, frowning as he chastised you for calling them annoying. “My fangirls are some of the loveliest people I have the privilege of meeting on this earth!”

“Bleh!” You mimicked the action of vomiting at the praises sang by the brunette for his fangirls, causing said person to let out another indignant cry while Iwaizumi snickered and exchanged a high-five with you. 

“Makki!” The setter cried out for his light-brown-haired friend, whom the three of you had caught up to along with the rest of the team, and threw himself at him with crocodile tears in the corners of his eyes. “Comfort me! Iwa-chan and (Name)-chan are being mean to me! My best friends hate me!”

You rolled your eyes at your friend’s flair for being overdramatic but there was a fond smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you watched Hanamaki indulged in his captain. 

“There, there,” Hanamaki consoled Oikawa, patting him on the back as the brunette sobbed into his shoulders – moaning about how his childhood friends were the worst and that they didn’t love him. 

Leaving the duo alone to their comforting session, you joined Iwaizumi who was at the front of the group, discussing tactics that both of you had planned with the coaches while the team entered the viewing stands to observe Karasuno’s matches since Nobuteru wanted another look at their first-year duo’s fast attack. 

In fact, this was the only reason why your team was at the gym first thing in the morning even though the first match didn’t start until after lunch considering they were exempted from the first round of Interhigh. 

You were about to go over the team that Seijoh would be going up against in the second round of Interhigh with Iwaizumi when you heard a familiar voice floating up from the court below. 

“Hey! It’s turnip head!”

“What’s a ‘turnip head’?” You heard Kindaichi as he and the rest of the team turned their heads towards the voice which belonged to none other than Hinata, one-half of Karasuno’s first-year duo’s freak quick attacks. 

Kunimi snickered at the nickname that the orange-haired player had dubbed for his black-haired friend before answering, “You are. Who else could it be?”

“Wha?!” Said turnip head turned to the first year with a bewildered look. 

“And…” Hinata muttered and you saw how the direction of his gaze shifted from Kindaichi to somewhere on your left side where you just noticed Oikawa’s presence. 

“Yoo-hoo!” The brunette called out in a cheery voice while holding up his signature peace sign, a playful smirk on his face as he greeted both Hinata and Kageyama who lifted his head to the viewing stand at the sound of his ex-upperclassman from junior high. “Tobio-chan and Chibi-chan. Having fun with your deviant combination?”

“Great King!” The orange-haired first year exclaimed at the sight of the Seijoh captain. 

Iwaizumi, unamused by Oikawa’s indirect jibe at the Karasuno duo, did not hesitate to put the brunette in his place. Glowering, he slapped the hand held up in a peace sign, causing its owner to let out a small cry of pain while you winced in sympathy for your poor friend. 

“Ow!” Oikawa cried out at the sudden hit, turning to pout at his friend as he rubbed the back of his hand to soothe the pain. “That hurt, Iwa-chan.”

Then, from the corners of his eyes, the setter noticed a new presence on the Karasuno team that he had not seen during the practice match. “Huh? You have a libero now. You didn’t when we had our practice match.”

Hearing that, you followed his line of sight and sure enough, you noticed a boy sporting wild, black hair with a tiny tuff of dirty blond hair falling over his forehead and wearing an orange jersey, the secondary color in Karasuno’s volleyball uniform, with the number four on the back. 

“They seem to have more big guys now too.” Iwaizumi commented when he spotted another unfamiliar face; this time around, it was a tall guy with brown hair tied up into a bun and he was sporting the number three.

You couldn’t help but frowned at the sight of these new faces on the Karasuno team because this meant that your team had no intel on their playstyles, strengths, and weaknesses which were important in coming up with strategies to counter them or used them to the team’s advantage when playing against another team.

Your worries deepened when you noticed a third unfamiliar presence on the other team, and it seemed like you weren’t the only one. 

“What’s this?” Nobuteru questioned with a small frown as he stared at the other adult whose blond hair was held by a black headband, keeping any stray strands out of his eyes. 

“They also have a new instructor, I think,” Mizoguchi added, a contemplative look on his face as he watched Karasuno’s coach doled instructions to the team.

“New players and a new instructor.” You muttered as you observed the team that felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. “How has Karasuno changed?”

Well, it was a good thing that Nobuteru made the right decision to come early because if you want your team to stand a chance against Shiratorizawa and go to the Nationals, you are going have to gather as much information as you could about the newly reformed Karasuno just in case things might go differently than as expected.

**Time skipped**

The first round of Interhigh was about to begin shortly and you had your trusty notebook out, ready to settle in with your pen poised and ready to take down as much information as you could gather from Karasuno’s first match when a familiar face caught your attention. 

“Suga-san!” You called out to the silver-haired third year, a bright grin on your face as you raised a hand to wave at him. 

At the sound of his name, Sugawara who was in the middle of a conversation with Karasuno’s captain, glanced over to the viewing stands – a bright smile lighting up his face as soon as both your eyes met. 

The smile on your face widened, threatening to split your cheeks in half when the setter returned your wave with one of his own. Cupping both hands around your mouth, you shouted, “Good luck with the first match!”

“Thank you, (Name)!” He hollered back, the grin on his face matching yours as he held up two thumbs-up to show that he heard you. 

With one last wave, Sugawara turned his attention back to Karasuno’s coach who had called for the team to gather for one last talk before their first match began. 

As for yourself, you settled back in your seat with a happy hum when you heard Oikawa’s grumpy voice piped up from your right. 

“Since when did you and Refreshing-kun become so close?” 

(E/C) eyes slid over to meet chocolate orbs narrowed into a scowl, the corners of the brunette’s lips pulled into a deep frown. You raised a brow at the unpleasant expression on your friend’s face but said nothing about it and instead answered his question. 

“We’ve been messaging each other quite often ever since we exchanged numbers during the practice match with Karasuno. Why?”

“Nothing, just asking.” Oikawa’s tone was light enough to be nonchalant, but you could tell the brunette was, in fact, upset if the deepening glower on his face was anything to go by, 

You furrowed your brows in confusion, trying to figure out what was the setter’s problem when something occurred to you. Could it be that…?

Butterflies exploded in your stomach and a small amount of hope blossomed in your heart if this was what you thought it was as you asked, “If it’s nothing, then why do you seem so upset that I talk to Suga-san regularly, Tooru?”

The brooding expression on Oikawa’s face exchanged with one of incredulity, exclaiming, “(Name)-chan, he’s Tobio-chan’s senpai which means he’s our enemy and you can’t fraternize with your enemies!”

Upon hearing that, your shoulders slumped in defeat and your body deflated as a hopeless sigh escaped your lips. Here you were, being so dumb, thinking that Oikawa would be jealous of you being close to Sugawara in the way how one would if the girl that they liked being so familiar with another guy that was not them. 

(Unbeknownst to you, the volleyball player was, in fact, feeling the green-eyed monster at how his best girl friend was being close to a guy from the rival team who happened to be another good-looking setter. So, of course, he couldn’t help but be envious because the only good-looking setter you should be friends with was him or so Oikawa thought.) 

You shook your head in disappointment, turning away from the brunette while muttering, “I should have known better than to get my hopes up for nothing.”

Your best friend’s expression morphed into one of confusion at your words, not understanding what you meant by getting your hopes for nothing. However, before he could ask, the shrill sound of the referee’s whistle rang throughout the gym, signaling the start of the first round of Interhigh. 

With that, your focus sharpened and your conversation with Oikawa was pushed to the back of your mind as you paid attention to the match happening below you. The first ball was served by the opposite team and in a blink of an eye, the first point was scored by Karasuno. 

Although, what happened next after that had you shaking with laughter in your seat. Not even five minutes into the game and Karasuno had already received their first warning due to some of their members being unable to control their excitement and thus, disrupting the match. 

As you watched their captain apologized profusely to the annoyed referee, you were reminded of your own team who, at times, could get out of control during an official game, although nowhere near as chaotic as Karasuno had been to guarantee a warning. 

Still, it brought a fond smile to your face to see something like this because it meant that at least, they were having fun and not worrying so much about the actual match itself. 

The game continued and Karasuno scored their second point just as easily as the first, thanks to libero and ace whom you were taking notes on. Your nose was practically buried in your notebook as your pen scribbled non-stopped. 

“Whoa, that had some real power to it.” You heard Iwaizumi saying and immediately jotted that down under the list of strengths that Karasuno’s ace possessed before adding your own thoughts next to it in neat, pointed forms. 

You were brought out of your thought when you heard a small yawn from your right. Glancing up, you turned your head to where Oikawa was seated on your right and was greeted with his bored expression, his eyes half-lidded as he slouched in his seat and paid no heed to the match going on in front of him. 

“Tooru,” You began in a chastised tone, the corners of your lips tugged into a disapproved frowned at the disinterested look gracing your friend’s face. “I know you’ll rather be anywhere but here right now, but for the sake of your team and as their captain, at least pay attention to Karasuno’s playstyles and familiarize yourself with it in the case we do play against them.”

“Why should I when you’re already doing exactly that, (Name)-chan?” Oikawa complained in a whiny tone, his lower lips jutted out into a pout with arms crossed like a petulant child. 

You fixed the volleyball player a blank look as you took your notebook, rolled it up, and smacked Oikawa’s arm with it. 

“Ow!” The brunette cried out as he clutched his arm, leveling a glare on you. “What was that for, (Name)-chan?!”

“For being a trashy person, Shittykawa.” You replied bluntly and turned your focus back onto Karasuno’s match, ignoring Oikawa for the rest of the game. 

Although, you couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh when the setter jumped to his feet and rushed forward to the railing, his body leaning outwards as chocolate orbs sparkled with excitement as he witnessed both Kageyama’s and Hinata’s quick attack that had shocked the entire gym into silence. 

* * *

The whistle blew and Karasuno’s first match came to an end with the team winning both sets. You were placing your belongings into your bag when you heard Kindaichi saying, “Are these guys fully aware they have another match to play this afternoon?” 

Curious as to see where this was going, you paused in your packing and turned your attention on to the black-haired first-year whose gaze was fixed on the obvious joy painting Hinata’s first at their first win. 

Iwaizumi, who was standing next to Kindaichi, turned to his underclassman with an inquiry look, not quite understanding what the latter meant. Seeing that, the volleyball player elaborated on his question. “It’s just that victory was a sure thing, so they should’ve kept as much energy in reserve as possible.”

Before Seijoh’s ace could respond, Oikawa’s voice jumped in and startling the duo. “What’s so bad about it?”

Your gaze trailed after the brunette as he got up from his seat and joined the other two at the bottom of the viewing stands as he explained, “We got to see them play for keeps. But they didn’t use the deviant fast attack.”

 _‘So, he was paying attention to Karasuno’s match after all,’_ You mused to yourself, your lips curling into a small, amused smile at the note of disappointment in your friend’s tone. 

“The other match is also over,” Hanamaki informed as he walked over to the group. “Date Tech won by a landslide.”

“Karasuno vs. Date Tech.” You muttered, wondering which team would be the one that Seijoh would see on the other side of the court. “Who will rise to the top?”

A tense silence filled the air as everyone thought of the same thing, watching both teams with assessing gazes. 

“Let’s go,” Iwaizumi said, turning away from the scene in front of him with the rest following him. “We have to secure our next victory, or we won’t be there.”

You turned to follow as well but paused in your track when you noticed that Oikawa hadn’t moved, still staring out at the court below him. Out of curiosity, you followed his gaze and saw how he was looking at both Kageyama and Hinata who were oblivious to it – the corners of his lips curling into a smirk. 

A knowing smile crept onto your face upon seeing that and without saying anything, you turned on your heels and left the viewing stand. 

**Time skipped**

The shrill sound of the referee’s whistle rang throughout the court along with the loud cheers coming from the viewing stand as Seijoh won their match at the Interhigh. It was an easy win for the powerhouse team, but a hard loss for the opposite team who sighed but was not surprised by the outcome. 

After all, compared to Seijoh, they were anything but mediocre. With heavy hearts, they exchanged one last bow and left the court, vowing to train harder and be better next time. 

Meanwhile, your team wasn’t really celebrating their win per se considering how the outcome was an excepted one. Still, the atmosphere was one of lightness and filled with laughter as the members joked around while packing up. 

You watched with fond amusement as Iwaizumi barked at Oikawa to stop lazing around and helped with the clean-up, but his words fell on deaf ears and that was the final straw. 

What happened next was inevitable as the volleyball player growled and stormed over to his fellow partner, his hands clenched into tight fists. A loud smack, followed by a pained cry could be heard and you let out an exasperated sigh, muttering, “Tooru totally deserves that.”

The rest of the team nodded their heads in agreement, not an ounce of sympathy for their captain at all. Instead, they turned on their heels and proceeded to make their way to the exit, leaving their best players behind. 

Meanwhile, you could feel the start of a headache forming as your best friends’ growing loudness from fighting were starting to attract unwanted attention. Knowing that if you didn’t intervene now, things were just going to get worst. 

So, with a determined frown set on your face, you rolled up your sleeves and marched over to the two idiots that you called best friends. And with that, the first day of the Interhigh Preliminaries had come to an end but tomorrow is when the real thing happened – Karasuno vs Aobajohsai where the emerging champion would meet face-to-face with the top powerhouse in Miyagi at the final round. 


	11. A/N

Hello!

I'll be putting this story on a hold as of now because I am gonna replan the initial plot I have for this story. This is because I do not really know what I am really writing at this point and I do not want this story to be half-assed for my readers because y'all don't deserve it.

Secondly, I don't have the time to work on two stories at the same time as I'm busy with school most of the time. And the reason why I chose to put this story on hold instead of the other one (Constant Variable) is that for that story, I'm following the anime plot quite closely so it's easier to write as the overall plot is more or less finalized as compared to 365 Days which is mostly original plot with a few plots here and there from the anime. 

Just to clarify, I won't be discontinuing 365 Days. I'm just put it on hold as of now and map out a better story plot as well as finishing up my other story so I can put all of my focus on this story. Thank you for your support and love towards this story and my writing so far. I really appreciate everything from you, my dear readers. Once again, apologies for putting this story on hold as I know many of you are looking forward to it but I hope you can be understanding. 

That's all for now. Until then, happy reading! 

Love,   
Rainbend

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Instagram [@rainbendchan](https://www.instagram.com/rainbendchan/)  
> Come and say hi!


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